Human Resources professionals look at HR tech with a healthy dose of skepticism. After all, they are people leaders who put the human touch above all else. Now, however, a renaissance is happening and technology is helping humans connect with one another in a way that they have not done previously.
WATCH: HR Tech Live APAC
In Asia-Pacific, employers are solving some of their biggest problems by using HR tech:
Problem: Lack of Training on Technology
Many organizations have invested in top tech products, but their employees know little about how to get the most out of them. Often, people learn how to do the bare minimum simply because there is no one else who can teach them.
Solution: Digital Adoption Platforms
Digital adoption platforms are used in tandem with applications. They provide step-by-step instructions to users, who are using the application. It is a way to teach people how to use the technology at their fingertips without having to hire human teachers or instructors. Every employee can get up to speed at his or her own pace.
WATCH: Reshaping HR policies to suit post-pandemic workforce with employee well-being in mind
Problem: Isolation of Remote Workers
Feelings of isolation and loneliness are among the worst outcomes of the pandemic. Everyone's mental health took a hit. Remote workers might continue to feel isolated or left out of the team. This can make it difficult to collaborate with others. Also, it could make for a poor employee experience.
Solution: Messaging Programs
One of the obvious answers to this problem is connecting people with apps like Teams or Slack. These messaging programs allow colleagues to connect in real time throughout the day. It's almost like visiting people at their desks or cubicles in a bricks-and-mortar office. Users can infuse fun into the messages with things like emojis and gifs. They also allow people to share documents, photos, videos, and other attachments. In addition, they can gather for meetings or call each other with audio and video capabilities.
Problem: Keeping Hybrid Employees Engaged
Hybrid employees are still getting used to this new schedule. Being in the office - or not - depending on the day of the week can be a shock to the system. As a result, it can be difficule to keep employees consistently engaged. Because this is a new experience for everyone, employers are also still trying to figure it out. In the meantime, HR leaders are trying to keep track of everyone and get people to stay connected to their work.
Solution: Conversational AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) holds great promise, but it can be intimidating. Conversational AI is meant to be welcoming. While it is often used to improve the customer experience, it is gaining popularity with HR leaders. Using natural language understanding (NLU), it can understand text and respond to people in a way that is similar to other humans. When colleagues can't be together, conversational AI is an alternative.
Problem: Employees Have Change Fatigue
The world has changed drastically in the last few years. Certainly, the workplace is nothing like it once was. First, employees had to overhaul their lives to quickly begin to work from home (WFH) at the start of the pandemic. Then, various outbreaks kept putting off return-to-office (RTO) plans. Now, many are finally going back to the office or opting into a hybrid workplace. It's inconsistent. The routine always seems to be different. Most people find change challenging.
Solution: Change Management Programs
Change management is a necessity during these turbulent times. One of the keys to successful change management is pinpointing the talents of employees, and helping them excel. It's a way for leadership to get buy in from staff, so that they are willing to go along with the next layer of changes. Transparent and clear communication is also vital to change management programs. People need to know what's happening, what's expected of them, and how things will be for them in the near future.
Ultimately, technology continues to advance, and it will help HR leaders face the future of work no matter what challenges come next. The two important factors to remember are that technology cannot replace humans and that the humans who use technology must be ethical in their use.
To learn more about these solutions, join the HR Tech Live APAC online event from May 24 to 25. It's free to register, and it will include speakers who are expert at getting the most out of technology to improve HR.
Photo by Karolina Grabowska for Pexels