The recent events have forced many organisations to work remotely and has acted as a catalyst to accelerate digital transformation. Now is the time to ensure your HR team is equipped to lead further changes today, in order to be ready for the challenges of tomorrow and ensure your organisation can adapt, and be resilient and brisk.
The recent events have forced many organisations to work remotely and has acted as a catalyst to accelerate digital transformation. Now is the time to ensure your HR team is equipped to lead further changes today, in order to be ready for the challenges of tomorrow and ensure your organisation can adapt, and be resilient and brisk.
What technological skills are expected from the HR team of tomorrow?
Best-in-class organisations who use HR technology to deliver seamless and engaging workforce experiences today, will become the norm tomorrow. Some HR and People teams are already leading the way with HR technology, but there are many organisations that still are not. With just a quarter of HR leaders rating their HR tech skills at expert, there’s a long way to go.
The HR team of tomorrow, technologies like cloud, automation, self-service HR and mobile apps will become the basics and fully adopted across the board. We know this because these technologies are already vital today. The HR team of tomorrow simply won’t be able to function without them, just as many HR teams are struggling without them already.
Beyond that, other technologies like artificial intelligence and intelligence augmentation, virtual reality and gamification will also be commonplace. HR and People teams will navigate the HR technology landscape with confidence and savviness, with the ultimate aim to use HR tech to drive engagement, build better experiences and boost productivity in tomorrow’s workplaces.
Never underestimate the need to be tech-savvy to improve workplace culture which gives you a competitive advantage. For quite some time, HR leaders have shied away from technical conversations as it was felt the greatest value that they bring to an organisation is their heart. Organisations need to understand that the world around us has become more advanced.
Try taking your IT leaders out for coffee, or a video conference call, and pick their brains about progress in their field. HR must accept the reality that the world has evolved and is not in the same professional landscape as it was a year ago. Ignoring this would be at your own cost.
Tips to bring your A game in tech skills needed for tomorrow’s HR
Tech-savvy HR and People teams are not just those who can use the tools they are given, but who can develop their skills with them, achieving greater results while remaining flexible to the type of HR technology they use.
- A good place to start is to compare your tech skills in relation to the business. Do you understand as much as the wider organisation or are there specific knowledge gaps you need to address?
- Once you know what you need to improve in, you can take a long-term approach to acquiring the skills. Try to immerse yourself in the world of technology to gain a holistic understanding as you go along.
- Attend industry exhibitions for both the HR sector and your wider industry, these are great places to discover and learn how emerging tech can benefit your organisation.
- Keep an eye out for technology that can serve your organisation’s specific needs versus chasing down the hot new tech platform. Be intentional.
- Read thought leadership publications. Industry experts often give unbiased advice about products they have encountered and can be a key source for news within your sector.
- Take online courses. These help you to acquire the tech skills you require which can get handy even for developing skills such as coding.
- Attend webinars. Often hosted by technology experts, these will give you an overview of both current and emerging technologies and help you to make informed decisions.
- Apply for demos of new software. This is the best way to test and understand what your team’s limitations are when it comes to understanding and applying technology.
