Human resources (or simply ‘HR’ as it’s known in most offices) refers to the management of employees within a business. It puts emphasis on the idea that employees are ‘assets’ of the business, and refers to the guidance, support and advice that HR teams provide when implementing strategies, tools, policies and procedures in the workplace.
So, how has technology changed the industry? How has introducing human resources software and technological tools affected businesses large and small? Let’s take a look…
Recruitment is easier than ever
Recruitment is just one aspect of human resources that has been improved by new software and technology. Before the existence of the internet and social media sites (such as Linkedin), HR personnel had to reply on newspapers, prospects and word of mouth to get interviewees though the door. Nowadays, technology has made recruitment much more efficient, giving HR teams a wider range of candidates to choose from and the tools they need to vet them beforehand.
Software add-ons have facilitated effective performance reviews
Secondly, technology and software has also revolutionised the way that performance management is executed in HR departments. HR teams can use software add-ons such as UpRaise (available at http://upraise.io) to track how employees are doing on a day to day basis, monitoring their progress and conducting appraisals and performance reviews in a way that’s timely, relevant and contextual… far more effective than a traditional review process! In short, technology has transformed an aspect of human resources management that’s so often lamented!
Onboarding processes can be performed on computers
When new employees join a business, there’s often plenty of training to do. But, that’s where advances in software and technology come in: onboarding can now be done online through a series of e-learning sessions, saving businesses lots of time and money. And, for larger businesses, it’s a great idea: it ensures that all new employees receive a high quality induction with a clear and consistent message.
Data storage and retrieval is more efficient and eco-friendly
Traditionally, HR has been a profession that generated a lot of paperwork (and unfortunately had to keep copies of that paperwork on file for a long time!). But, since the use of electronic imaging, scanners, photocopiers, cloud storage and shared drives, it’s now possible for files to be stored and retrieved in an electronic format. Of course, extra security measures need to be in place to keep them safe, but this technological advance has certainly saved time, space and prevented a number of trees from being cut down!
Takeaway
Overall, it’s clear that advances in HR software and technology have changed the industry. Things that we haven’t even begun to discuss – such as the benefits of streamlining the payroll, overseeing bonuses and keeping an eye on employees’ hours – are just some of the other benefits that technological advances have bought about, and who knows what the future holds? Check out this article if you fancy sneaking a peek into the what the future might look like for the HR industry!