The Evolution of HR

HR is undergoing a major overhaul. Advances in data mining technology and the emergence of mobile workers are creating a tectonic shift in the way companies manage their workforce in the field and the way employees get work done. Not only that, but it is also having a major impact on the way companies are meeting staffing and hiring needs.

Managing a Mobile Workforce

Mobile, on-demand workforce are on the rise and while they provide flexibility for both the employer and employee, with them come a new set of challenges, such as managing where your employees are at any give time. Questions HR managers often ask themselves pertain to productivity and whether their employees are completing the task at hand in a timely manner.

Today, there are solutions that can help mitigate these concerns. Mobile workforce management solutions that provide real-time visibility into where your workers are and that enable managers to send specific job assignments via their mobile devices. Conversely, employees can keep their managers up to date on the status of their work and can provide updates in real time from any location. For example, if you need to leave early on a Tuesday for your kid’s piano recital, you can block your schedule so no work is assigned that afternoon and have outstanding tasks auto-assigned to another field team member.

Another major benefit of using mobile workforce management solutions is the increase in employee engagement and communication across teams. For example, in the retail sector, dispatchers often have to deliver truckloads of products across many stores. By leveraging mobile workforce management solutions, these teams can better coordinate to meet delivery schedules and ensure that products are getting to the right store at the right time.

Staffing

HR managers are realizing the power of leveraging data to allocate the right person for the right job. Data is also widely used to gain insight into business metrics – for example, companies can determine how many workers are needed at any given time giving the scope and timeline of a particular project. Thanks to the advent of workforce management solutions, HR managers now have a wealth of knowledge they can use to better schedule and manage activity across their organization.

Hiring

The abundance of data available to HR professionals has also led to the development of labornomics, best described as hiring based primarily on data and statistics. While one can still find value in evaluating traditional cover letters and resumes, the fact is human resources is entering the next phase of its existence, and technology will continue to play an even more integral part in determining who gets the job.

Data can be one of the strongest tools for HR managers when it comes to evaluating and engaging with potential recruits. Utilized properly, data can accelerate the entire recruiting process from posting openings to sourcing candidates, reviewing resumes and making offers. According to a survey by Spherion Staffing, 47 percent of millennials have indicated that a prospective employer’s online reputation matters as much as the job it offers. HR pros are coming to the realization that there’s a connection between having a compelling data strategy and finding the top talent for the job.

In addition to utilizing data science to hire the right employees, companies are now investing their own internal data analysis to better understand what is and isn’t working when it comes to employee efficiency and success. Traditional performance numbers such as closed leads are being combined with crowdsourced information like social recognition data. This means companies are able to provide employees with real-time feedback rather than just an annual review.

One thing is certain, tapping into your company and employee data offers a wealth of opportunities and allows HR departments to hire, staff and manage employees at a much larger scale than ever before. This allows them to take a more strategic approach to meet their HR needs and ultimately work smarter and more efficiently. The next generation of Human Resources is here.

Credit: www.insights.wired.com/