Like many sectors, technology has been taking the people profession by storm. Over the last ten years, we have seen technology impact almost every element of the strategic industry, from operations to decision-making, recruitment to automation, the changes have been vast.

As we move further into the digital world, technology will continue to alter the world of human resources, enhancing every element and increasing automation.

In this blog we explore the conjoining of technology and HR and what this both looks like and stands to look like for the various components of the industry.

1) Technology will continue to break down recruitment barriers

While HR don’t solely look after company recruitment, they do work closely with talent acquisition teams, hiring managers and help shape the unique EVP of a business – which is a powerful tool when it comes to finding the right talent. Supercharged by technology, recruitment efforts are rocketing, with 95% of HR leaders admitting that they use some kind of technology to assist with their hiring methods.

So, what is technology doing to aid better recruitment?

It's providing a wider talent pools of candidates

With 57% of job seeking individuals using both the internet and specifically, social media, to search for new roles, it’s no surprise that HR teams are also honing in on this space. Social media tools and online job portals allow HR professionals to source, connect and interact with potential talent, around both the clock and the globe.

A virtual hotspot brimming with talent of all ages, locations, skill sets and backgrounds, technology allows for HR professionals to both widen their search pool and then target specific people based on filters and demographics. Through a combination of both, this not only greatly increases the chances of companies finding the talent they are looking for, but it also makes it much easier for individuals to find employers.

With google being used 25% less by Gen Z than it was by Gen X, it’s no surprise that social media as a search engine for job hunting will continue to skyrocket into the future.

It’s eliminating bias in the hiring process

If you’ve been job hunting in the last few years, you will have noticed a shift in the way HR and TA teams are now sourcing, sifting through and interviewing potential hires. AI and automation have been assisting HR professionals with the creation of inclusive job descriptions, as well as anonymising and randomising CV’s and candidate applications.

These efforts are not only removing potential existing barriers, such as gender or previous job experiences, but they also ensure that bias, conscious or subconscious doesn’t continue to form. This allows for a fairer and more inclusive recruitment process.

In the future technology is said to be able to reduce bias even further, as data strengthens, companies are able to make more data-driven decisions, focusing on facts, skills and objectives, instead of background, age or money.

It’s improving the candidate experience

Efficiency and accessibility are factors that both candidates and employers look for when job or talent searching, as we know that from start to finish, this takes time, money and resource. So as a way of streamlining and reducing strenuous efforts, HR professionals are continuously looking for ways that they can automate the manual workplace processes.

From providing automatic responses and feedback to candidates throughout hiring processes to online cv sifting and cauterising for virtual interviews, the candidate journey is smoother and more flexible than it was five years ago.

While businesses continue to look for innovate ways to elevate a candidate’s experience, upcoming trends to look out for over the next five years include:

SuperApps: a one stop-shop to include all aspects of the candidate recruitment process collectively.

Conversational AI: AI is said to become more humanised, personable and relatable.

The MetaVerse: virtual and augmented reality can be used for interviews, assessments and conversations.

2) Technology is powering training and development

Computer based learning and development training started to build momentum in the 90’s, however, the regular use of technology for training was still few and far between. Fast forward to the early 2000’s and both employers and employees were becoming excited by technological advancements in the workplace and how it was transforming the way that individuals could absorb relevant and up-to date information.

To this current date, E-learning has taken off and through collaboration with Learning Management Systems (LMS), employees are developing skills at speed, utilising the creation of individual learning journeys.

This is because learning management systems, which are essentially virtual learning environments that can host several different courses, learning materials, documents and media can now present content in many different forms. From AI generated videos, to podcasts and written content, each different method of learning is considered, making learning fully accessible for all individuals.

Similarly to the future digital enhancements of the candidate experience journey, it’s said that we’ll also see further utilisation of augmented and virtual reality, as a way of making training and development even more accessible.

3) Technology is driving a more strategic role for HR

As technology continues to automate the mundane, administrative tasks for HR professionals, more time and resource can now be spent on the strategic development of the function.

With HR professionals now working collaboratively with other departments, such as the senior leadership team, marketing, recruitment, etc., their expertise and input is now helping to create and shape employee led and employee centric businesses, which in 2024, is vital to every organisation’s success.

Creating a people centric business means focusing more on strategic initiatives, such as:

• Modernising performance reviews
• Personalised development plans
• Developing enhanced employee value propositions (EVP’s)

These are all responsibilities that now sit under the remit of the people function.

4) Technology enhancements create a need for cyber security training

Technology has truly transformed the way that human resources as a function operates. However, with this comes many potential pitfalls and, in some cases, risk of data breaches. To counteract this, organisations are taking strides towards ensuring all staff, both senior and junior, HR and not, are undergoing cyber security training.

Research shows that companies are now working closely with security experts to create tight cybersecurity programmes that can be constantly monitored, updated and executed to all staff. This ensures that each company creates a programme based on the specific potential risks unique to them, as all company risks will differ depending on the data held.

Risks to look out for can include:

• Phishing attacks
• Ransomware and loss of data
• Increased regulatory requirements and compliance
• Algorithm bias and inaccuracy

HR and Technology – The Future of People Management

As we continue to embrace a world of rapid technological change, HR professionals continue to be  excited by a future that offers further flexibility,  a more realistic insight into employees’ workplace expectations and requirements, and better working lives for all .

Support the development of your company culture and gain a CIPD 100% Online HR qualification with ICS Learn today.