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6 ways Human Resources has evolved over the last decade

By | Abhyank Srinet

Once only identified for hiring and managing the workforce, the Human Resources Department has evolved significantly over time. There have been several advancements in this department in the past decade such that their importance is now felt more than ever. The HR department impacts each employee’s journey, from recruitment to onboarding to career growth and transition.

Following the recovery from the 2008 – 09 recession, the world economy was witnessing growth, and many job seekers were looking for jobs and contracts. Here came the need of the HR department to adapt and evolve to contribute their best in the respective organization’s growth. Since then, several trends and shifts shape the Human Resources Department we see today.

Today we discuss six ways how Human Resources has evolved over the last decade.

1.  HR-related technology

The advancement of modern technologies is one of the most prominent reasons why Human Resources have seen a notable change in the last decade. Increasing Artificial Intelligence (AI) advancements and the automation process had made it much easier to process documentation and other onboarding processes. Therefore, it has improved efficiency for the department. HR professionals can now focus on more advanced tasks like training and development, regulatory compliance, and data analysis.

The employees are trained to update their info like address, benefits, attendance and other functions themselves. This technology has relieved the HR specialist of the paperwork. The latest evolution in the Machine Learning sector has resulted in smarter job-search tools. As a result, recruiters must keep an eye for new developments in this field. The introduction of a host of technologies has changed the HR department for the best.

2.  Use of Social Media

A decade back, social media was a platform for people to communicate in the online world. Fast forward to today, and now, social media is an online platform where organisations market their brand as much as they can. Back then, HR policies state that social media and web browsing should be avoided during work hours, but now organisations are fighting over their presence in the social media spaces.  

In recent years, the branding of a company on social media has gotten widespread attention. Instead of limiting social media completely, HR recruiters utilise social media as their preferred medium for brand awareness.

3.  Active Training and Constant Learning

Now that the automation process takes care of payroll, official documentation, employees’ supervision and other monotonous tasks, this gives the HR department the liberty to focus on the more crucial tasks. Over the last decade, there is an evident increase in the frequent training sessions at various organisations that focuses on upskilling their staff.

The HR department understands the importance of knowledge and motivated personnel. These training sessions are more in line with the new technologies and fulfil the employer and employees’ needs. The use of interactive multimedia and online learning help employees improve their job skills. Other innovations, such as gamification of education, have made professional learning more enjoyable, while virtual reality helps people develop their job abilities in realistic scenarios. Training has become immediately applicable to the particular needs of both employees and their companies. 

4. Remote Working

Because of the technological breakthroughs over the last ten years, working remotely has become much feasible now. HR leaders have been encouraging and implementing policies concerning remote working in the present times.

But the HR leaders should ensure that remote employees are active and effective by allowing them to feel like they are a part of the larger organisation. The HR professionals appreciate and encourage job flexibility, which is now a globally recognised perk. Companies can benefit from a remote workforce, especially given the increasing office space costs in some regions.

5. Human Analytics

Like mentioned earlier, technology played an important role in reanimating the HR department. The Human Resource Management System or the Human Management Tools has helped track each individual’s progress in the company. The inclusion of Data Analytics in the HR department has helped HR find out the best talent and train them on their strengths and weaknesses.

Analytics and data are used to guide future efforts, helping make informed decisions and enhance processes. Businesses utilize reports and actual HR data to evaluate their work culture. This data can be used to retain employees and attract new workers quickly and effectively. They also employ analytics to provide everything a team member requires to perform at their best. Technology has offered human resource professionals the tools that can be used to increase productivity and results improvement.

6. Generation Gap and Differences

In a series of strange events, today, there are not two but five different generations of people working together. Five generations, all working together, as a team, in the same organisation. This vast difference in the age gap presents HR leaders with both opportunities and challenges. HR departments are trying to ensure that all age group individuals are treated equally. They are trying to improve the employee experience for all the workforce.

HR professionals have a better understanding of what their employees want, and they know well that generational gaps in opinion may emerge. It is their responsibility to understand the personnel and its interests as much as possible and then develop programmes that assist people in their journey.

Conclusion

The HR department connects all the other departments in every organisation. It is HR’s responsibility to encourage and support employees as they progress in their careers. It’s easier now to manage people and ensure that they achieve their goals and get what they want out of work because of the evolving technology in Human Resources. Over the last ten years, human resources have changed significantly. Out of all the uncertainty, the Human Resource departments have certainly utilised this opportunity, which has helped this field over the last few years. HR departments now spend their time enhancing employee engagement, establishing a better and more attractive corporate culture, and managing talent.


Author Bio:

Abhyank Srinet is a passionate digital entrepreneur who holds a Masters in Management degree from ESCP Europe. He started his first company while he was still studying at ESCP and managed to scale it up by 400% in just 2 years. Being a B-School Alumni, he recognized the need for a one-stop solution for B-School to get in touch with schools and get their application queries resolved. This prompted him to create MiM-Essay, a one-of-a-kind portal with cutting edge profile evaluation and school selection algorithms, along with several avenues to stay informed about the latest B-School Updates.

 

 

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