Revisiting the role of HR in a Post Pandemic world:

HR is the backbone of the organization, it’s a key driver that creates differentiation from one organization to another. What is the key differentiator the “people”, HR engages, identifies, onboard new joiners with requisite experience & shared values that form a strategic fit with the hiring organization?

Traditionally Talent Management comprises the following activities & collaborates with functional departments to track & manage the growth life cycle of an individual in an organization.

1. Exploration for Talent Search
2. After identification carrying out Fitment Check
3. Onboarding, Compensation, benefits finalization
4. Monitor – Development of the resource
5. Mapping Career Growth Plan (Plan v/s Actual)
6. Appraisal & Compensation Adjustment
7. Separation. (Retirement / Voluntary / Death)

Let’s look at the development of Tech-Enabled Transformation in HR through a Survey by Deloitte*, following are the findings:

• Fifty-six percent of companies we surveyed this year are redesigning their HR programs to leverage digital and mobile tools.
• Fifty-one percent of companies are currently in the process of redesigning their organizations for digital business models.

Data has Completely disrupted the HR landscape – Exploration for talent search RPA, Chabot’s are the effective tools that automatically skim 1000s of resumes in an hour & carry a match with Key words of the Job description. An increase in No. of words matching with the Job Description keywords raises the probability of a candidate’s resume selection.

The advent of Social Media Platforms like LinkedIn has strengthened aspirants' previous work experience credibility, with connections vouching for the aspirant’s participation in a common project definitely abates any trust issues.

Pandemic – Covid 19 that has impacted the whole world, all organizations have to shift, engaging employees through virtual mode handling remote teams to ensure business continuity, HR is not an exception all job interviews were executed through Virtual Platforms like Zoho, Zoom, Microsoft Team, etc.

The arrival of 3 key drivers has completely transformed the digital landscape the HR function has fully leveraged the same:

• Cloud – Moving away from localized Storage concept to remote storage enabling remote working. For all data storage from certificates to Bank Details all recorded with security encryption.
  
  
• PaaS - Platform as a service & SaaS- Software as a service that charges usage as per demand. For e.g.: Ramco HR suite etc., Gmail (SAAS), AWS-Amazon Web Services (PaaS) that uses hosting of manuals, etc. unrestricted documents.
  
  
• Analytics – It has opened up a new dimension across the spectrum Now data can give a clear insight into the performance of an aspirant without manual intervention, all activities of the employee in the appraisal period are accorded weightage depending upon the contribution of activity to the fulfillment Critical Success Factors. The algorithm that runs in the background is tinker Proof & does a just assessment without any biases. Nepotism is a serious issue it makes the deserving employees flee & the non-deserving to be rewarded, sugar coating does not go a long way imminently leading to the organization being defunct & policy paralysis.

• “The Extra Edge in HR"

We have understood the use of Technology in the “as is” state & let's discuss the “to be“ state where technology can be harnessed to iron out the current gaps.

• Machine Learning – During Conducting interviews the behavioral patterns of an interviewee can be studied; thorough reports can be generated. But Machine Learning gets better as the sample increases, the Prediction error –the level of complexity – Bias & variance have to be preset within acceptable levels, the program will optimize results, though still under development the machine learning tool will be a great enabler for Hiring in days to come.
  
  
• Artificial Intelligence – Days are not far off when the Digital Products with Program running at backend will develop super intelligence that will not only match keywords but assess statements as per resume to make a better decision, recommendations the self-interpretation of statements by Chatbots will result in better scrutiny of candidate’s resume & increase chances for a deserving candidate.
  
  
• IOT – IOT (Internet of things) is the heart of industry 4.0, From the HR perspective the data collection from wearable smartwatches/wrist bands help the HR to have a database, analytics further helps in suggesting possible risks/lifestyle diseases that are plaguing the employee, therefore corrective action can be taken on its basis. It also helps in tailoring medical Plans, yoga sessions, or outbound Learning. It makes HR proactive rather than reactive.
  
  
• Blockchain – Blockchain works as a distributed ledger system, it decentralizes the hegemony of the single erstwhile certifiers, creating a chain where there are nodes, each node is of equal importance, therefore for a transaction going through multiple hands, it has to be certified digitally by all nodes creating a link, if the link is broken the transaction does not go through, therefore increasing the trust issues.
  
  
• Virtual Reality – This is another enabler of HR Transformation, Learning & Development undergoes a key change as VR gives a 100% physical presence-like experience without relocating to the source of delivery physically. Tutorials in digital format can be better delivered to the end-user, once the delivery experience gets better, the chances of retention – learning & skills increases, enhancing the training effectiveness reducing travel time & Cost. In a Post Covid World VR remains key to ensure the safety of employees.
  
  
• 5G- It is the link that connects all the enablers under one spectrum to deliver the best results. This embrace of new-age digital tools with 5G as the medium is capable of transforming all functions- 
  Sales – VR & AI
  Operations – Digital Twain
  Finance – BlockChain
  5G allows data transfer at very high rates, as the transfer speed increases all transactions & computations occur at a very rapid rate translating to smooth end-user experience & satisfaction.

“So why should others have all the Fun “- A Digital, agile HR is need of the hour.

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The digital transformation in HR | Deloitte Insights