Developments in HR technology increasingly focus on applications to give employees consumer-like experiences and away from tools created to support HR administration, according to research by Josh Bersin, principal of Bersin by Deloitte. A new group of talent management providers is emerging with products that are built for the cloud and generally inexpensive to buy. These providers are already having a profound effect on the functioning of key areas of HR, including payroll and employee engagement, Bersin adds.
As more and more organisations ditch traditional performance management systems based on ratings, the gap is being filled by new technology start-ups offering products reflecting this new, no-ratings approach. New vendors are also emerging in the field of predictive analytics, or ‘big data’, offering everything from helping employers identify ‘flight risks’ to attaching sensors on employees to help determine whether a new office layout is working.
Bersin writes:
‘The HR technology market is bursting with new applications that shift the focus toward more consumer-like experience and away from tools created to streamline the work of HR administration. Imagine an employee application suite that runs on your phone, knows your location, and recommends people with whom to network. It also evaluates time-management aptitude to help improve productivity, automatically assesses work behaviours and offers feedback on improving work-life balance. It even shares exercise and healthy eating tips at the point of need. This is where HR technology is going, and we’re getting there a lot faster than you might think.’