The human resource personnel form one of the most crucial departments in any organisation. However, in today's day and age, where a majority of the work is increasingly getting tech-driven, the role and significance of the HR department has come under the scanner.
As opposed to common perception, the work of the human resource team is not restricted to recruitment alone. It is also responsible for changes in the workforce, technological changes and other hierarchial transitions.
Now, it is the impact of technology in operations, that is likely to hit the force, and drastically change the way it has been functioning all this while.
How does this go about?
Technology can be used to make employees self serve themselves through online portals, or increase use of predictive data analytics and robots, which, in many organisations are replacing manual labour.
Apart from minimising work load, this kind of technology-driven operation also results in higher productivity with lesser costs. Apart from technology, another crucial aspect of the role of the HR is to foster a healthy relationship with the workforce and ensure a smooth working equation between the management and the employees.
Next, the ability to take decisions that are beneficial to the firm in the long run is also a pre-requisite for a HR team. For instance, a decision on outsourcing is key to the functioning. The HR designate must be well-equipped in technical and professional knowledge so as to decide if outsourcing a product service would be effective for the company or otherwise.
Another way for HRs to stay alive in this scientific world is to be able to underline the contributions done on a personal level. For, the team culture might not effectively recognise the task done by the HR personnel who is mostly at the coordination and organisation front.
Over the course of time, there are several changes in store for the human resource designates in this competitive world. While it is an unwritten rule that any industry, irrespective of its growth, will always welcome those with a nose for details and skills, it is the responsibility of the individual to ensure he or she retains the competitive spirit.
Some of the changes that might be reflected in the HR industry in the coming days, as predicted by experts are: Downsizing, which is the fear factor for any sector is applicable here too, more so with the advent of technology.
Experts say that HR departments will now become smaller, with employees
keying-in their own data into self-service systems. Tele-commuting occupies an important place in this system, as it is crucial for managements to keep track of their employees, irrespective of their location. And this is ought to be done by the HR personnel, who need to face the challenges in managing a remote
workforce, and ensure that their productivity and impact does not see a decline.
This, over the course of time, can also be done through new and scientific methods like analytics and data augmentation. One huge change that is inevitable in the changing dynamics of human resource management is the manner of recruitment, which is considered to be the primary job of this department.
Sources say that hiring is set to undergo a sea change, wherein the process is more likely to resemble the way it is done in marketing firms- which is recruiting people by identifying specific micro-segments of job seekers based on resource targets in mind.
Most importantly, the necessity to 'learn' is the last lesson in this regard for aspiring and existing professionals. While it is never too late to learn, experts in the industry have urged personnel to be in-the-know of all that is related to the specific industry, its key players and operations involved in this regard.
