What direction will HR technology take in the near future? Answers to this question were summarized in a recent article on Forbes.com by expert on this issue - Josh Bersin of the Bersin company which has become part of the consulting company Deloitte earlier this year and therefore it is now called Bersin by Deloitte. Josh Bersin’s insights are based on several HR conferences he has visited in recent weeks. He considers many of trends observed as highly disruptive.
1. Combining talent management with ERP
ERP systems providers are buying providers of software solutions for talent management or they are coming up with their own talent management solutions. The result is an increasing interest of particularly big companies in complex solutions from a single provider.
2. User experience
Customers are asking for easier use of HR systems, which leads to a shift to cloud solutions. It appears that design is the most important thing in mobile solutions, too. The form begins to overtake content.
3. Mobile solutions
HR systems are forced to adapt quickly to the massive use of tablet PCs and smart mobile phones. It is reflected very much for example in recruitment.
4. Big Data for talent analyzing
Software providers are increasingly concerned with the question of how to analyze the data they manage in their systems. Given the strong trend of interest in the so-called big data, we can expect the transition from "software as a service" to "data as a service" systems.
5. Middleware
It is already quite common for HR systems suppliers to provide applications for integration with other HR systems. Previously, this was a job of IT departments in companies, now the integration is on the side of the supplier.
6. Development of systems for assessing job applicants
The number of vendors selling solutions for assessing skills, personality traits, behavior, etc. is growing rapidly. They are used primarily in recruitment and to detect gaps in skills. However, these systems are less and less based on scientific and psychological methods and more and more on the analysis of human behavior on the web and social networks.
7. Education tools
In the area of corporate training, there is a strong emerging trend called Massively Open Online Courses (MOOC) - online courses provided by leading universities.
8. Video and social networking
Video is already used everywhere from recruitment to training or internal communications. It also serves to promote employer brands on the Internet and social networks. Video in fact replaces text. Similarly social networks replace traditional channels of communication in companies and also serve for mutual learning.
9. Wearable technology
A typical example of such a technology is the Google Glass through which we can run various applications, search the Internet, take photos, and the like. During an interview with a job applicant, somebody else could e.g. send you a question you should ask right to the glasses. In connection with these technologies, however, issues like privacy remain unresolved.
Which of the trends in HR technologies do you like and which do you worry about?
-kk-