2022 was quite a year for HR. The past few years have put a lot of pressure on the industry. The pandemic has changed how, where and when we work and businesses have had to try and respond to this challenge with great HR. While the past year was all about finding a footing and using technology to do it, 2022 is going to be the year for the industry to start pushing boundaries. Here are the eight big tech trends that’ll influence how your business goes about HR.
1. Collaborative tools
One of the major changes of the recent COVID-19 pandemic has been its impact on the office. We’ve moved away from the office spaces and remote work has become the big thing. This posed a lot of challenges but also many surprising results. A growing number of workers has actually seen their productivity go up. Flexible work and the opportunities to work from home are welcomed by many around the world.
Remote work might not be the necessity any longer but companies are looking to make work arrangements more flexible. For the HR, this means focusing on even better collaborative tools to keep everyone engaged and involved. You don’t want to end up in a situation where some feel distanced from their work. HR professionals need to make sure they add technologies that create a feeling of a communal workspace even when workers might be working remotely. With the rise of gig workers, there also needs to be a bigger emphasis on getting people involved with the organization. You want to leverage digital platforms for your benefit.
2. Talent allocation tools
There also needs to be more focus on using talent allocation tools for the benefit of the business. HR is often all about recruiting the required talent. But in the modern world, you need to become better at using the talent you already have.
Talent allocation tools can help in developing employee skills. You want to ensure employees gain skills while they are working. Their roles will continue to change and develop and you want to keep them focused. But you also want to help employees discover new skills and respond to jobs you need.
3. Wearables and health tools
Another big new technology HR professionals need to keep an eye out for comes in the form of wearables. These are not meant to monitor your employees for any other reason than to improve their work conditions and enjoyment. Different tools that can boost mental and physical wellbeing can boost productivity and improve employee retention rates. Wearables are becoming an increasingly popular option in places like the US and HR professionals elsewhere should definitely take note in 2022.
4. Analytics tools
2022 HR trends are all about analytics. HR software is using artificial intelligence to ease workload and gather better information. You can use simple survey and feedback tools or opt for more complex analytics platform. Human Resource Management System can look at work hours, payroll information and even productivity and create complex analytical reports. These can be a great help in improving employee happiness and work conditions, for example.
5. Data security tools
Businesses need to take data security seriously. While many focus on securing customer data or financial information, more focus should be put on employee data as well. For example, companies all over the world need to consider GDPR rules if they have any kind of connection to the EU. It’s also important to look into data security to prevent your business from being sued by employees due to breaches. One of the future technologies in this field is going to be blockchain.
6. Access tools
HR is also fast moving from a department taking control over employees to being a business-wide, collaborative effort. This means more than anything to give agency to your employees. One of the leading regions to do this is the UAE. The region has created a number of great Human Resource Management Systems that allow different stakeholders to work together. For instance, you can find their HR professionals utilizing a Human Resource Management System which makes it easy for employees control their data and information. The beauty of this is that it removes part of the mundane workload from the HR department while also ensuring employees have more control over their data.
7. Agile tools
HR tech trends are also pointing towards better agility. Any small and medium business owner knows that’s important. You need to have the tools to respond to challenges of the future. Your business might not have the need for complex recruitment tools right now. But as you keep growing, the need can become evident. With agile tools that adjust to your business needs, HR professionals are going to be a lot more able to respond to these kinds of situations.
8. Branding tools
Finally, the HR department is going to have to unleash its full creative capacity in 2022. Companies need to become better at attracting the right kind of talent. In order to do this, they need to start branding themselves as a great workplace. It’s not just about presenting your business in terms of products and services, but also its people. You can turn HR into a branding opportunity. Not only is this a great way to attract customers but also the right type of talent. You want skillful employees know what they can expect with your business. You need to start using social media tools and other such technologies as an HR branding opportunity. It could help your business grow in 2022.
Technology is an essential part of running a business. Whether it is your finance department or your HR professionals, having the right tech tools at your disposal makes good business sense. So make sure to consider the above trends as you prepare your business to conquer 2022.