All you need to know about AI, VR and tech in HR

All you need to know about AI, VR and tech in HR

With rapid advancements in tech in HR, it’s natural to wonder how these innovations will impact our roles. Let’s explore some of the hottest trends shaping the future of HR.

Revolutionising Recruitment with Technology

As tech in HR evolves, so does the recruitment landscape. Modern recruitment management systems are now essential tools. According to HR Toolbox, “Companies can no longer afford to use outdated strategies to discover, engage, and nurture top talent.”

Automation and advanced software are transforming recruitment teams, allowing them to automate time-consuming tasks and streamline candidate searches. This results in faster, more precise hiring processes that uncover the best talent more efficiently.

HR Toolbox further notes, “The process will be optimised from start to finish, enabling HR teams to refine and perfect their onboarding processes with minimal variation.” The rise of machine learning and AI is also noteworthy, with chatbots and similar technologies taking over routine tasks like scheduling and basic inquiries. This shift allows HR professionals to focus more on building meaningful relationships with candidates.

AI: A Partner, Not a Threat

A significant trend of tech in HR, is the growing acceptance of AI as a partner in the workplace rather than a threat. HR Dive highlights a notable shift in attitudes over the past few years:

“Waletzke observed a radical change in discussions about technology. In 2017, there was widespread fear that robots would take our jobs. Now, there’s a growing embrace of technology. We’re exploring how AI and machine learning can automate the talent acquisition process, allowing for deeper, one-on-one candidate interactions.”

Virtual Reality Meets HR

Virtual reality (VR) is emerging as a game-changer in HR tech, and it’s here to stay. VR creates immersive 3D environments, enabling users to interact with scenarios that feel real. This technology has the potential to revolutionise recruitment and training.

Sympa’s blog offers a compelling example: “The British Army successfully uses VR to tackle recruitment challenges. They developed four VR experiences—based on combat training, adventure training, tank training, and parachute training—and posted them on YouTube 360 as part of their recruitment strategy. The results were impressive, with a 65% increase in applications in the first month and a 41% increase in the second month.”

VR can be a powerful tool in interview processes, allowing candidates to demonstrate their skills, and in training, offering realistic, hands-on experiences.

Other Tech in HR

Blockchain: Revolutionising HR Data Management

Blockchain technology is making its mark tech in HR by providing a secure and transparent way to manage sensitive employee data. This decentralized ledger system ensures that records such as credentials, employment history, and payroll data are accurate and immutable. By using blockchain, HR departments can significantly reduce the risk of fraud and data breaches, streamline background checks, and simplify the verification process. This technology also facilitates smart contracts, automating everything from contract management to salary payments, ensuring timely and accurate transactions without the need for intermediaries.

People Analytics: Data-Driven Decision Making

People analytics is becoming a critical tool for HR leaders looking to make more informed decisions. By leveraging big data, HR teams can analyse employee behaviour, performance, and engagement levels to predict trends and address issues before they escalate. This data-driven approach helps in identifying high-potential employees, reducing turnover, and enhancing overall workforce productivity. Companies that invest in people analytics are better equipped to align their HR strategies with business objectives, ultimately driving growth and success.

Employee Experience Platforms: Enhancing Engagement

The shift towards remote and hybrid work models has accelerated the adoption of employee experience platforms. These platforms integrate various tech in HR functions—such as communication, performance management, and well-being programs—into a single, user-friendly interface. They enable HR teams to monitor employee engagement, gather feedback, and provide personalized support, fostering a more connected and satisfied workforce. By enhancing the employee experience, companies can improve retention rates and attract top talent in a competitive market.

Gamification: Transforming Learning and Development

Gamification is increasingly being used in HR to make learning and development more engaging. By incorporating game-like elements such as leaderboards, badges, and rewards into training programs, organizations can motivate employees to participate actively and complete courses. This approach not only makes learning fun but also enhances knowledge retention and application. Gamified learning platforms can be tailored to individual learning styles, helping employees develop new skills more effectively and at their own pace.

Augmented Reality (AR): Innovating Training and Onboarding

Augmented Reality (AR) is another exciting technology that’s being integrated into HR practices. AR overlays digital information onto the physical world, providing an interactive experience that can be incredibly useful for training and onboarding. For example, AR can guide new employees through complex machinery operations or provide real-time instructions during tasks. This immersive learning experience accelerates skill acquisition and reduces the time it takes for new hires to become fully productive.

Are you tapping into these trends? If you’d like to discuss how these innovations could benefit your organisation, feel free to reach out to me at James@refind.co.uk.

Learn more about James Cumming, our change and business transformation specialist,

OUR FOCUS ON LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS

At re:find we have been in Executive Search for over 20 years. We believe that recruitment is not a one-off transaction but rather a long-term partnership. We aim to build long-term relationships with our clients, providing ongoing support and advice to help them find and retain the best talent for their organisation.

In addition, as a business, we understand that every organisation is unique and that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to recruitment. That’s why we offer bespoke recruitment solutions that are tailored to meet the specific needs of each client. Whether you need help with a single hire or a full recruitment campaign, we can help.

We are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality service. As part of this, we ensure that we take the time to understand your organisation’s culture and values, as well as the specific skills and experience needed for each role.

For more information on our executive search practice and our CCS framework
please get in touch with our Managing Director, James Cumming.

Using robots to make Human Resources more human…

Using robots to make Human Resources more human

I know what you’re thinking….surely that doesn’t make sense? How can robots make things more human?

RPA and AI are becoming more and more popular within shared services functions across the world, but countries have very different views on them.

In China, they want to use it for world domination. In America, they believe it will put businesses in the best possible commercial position. And in the UK…well, we still don’t want robots to hurt us or take our jobs.

I have to tell you guys, the least popular purpose for automation is headcount reduction. If your primary goal when automating is to reduce headcount or to save money, then it will more than likely fail.

Automation is used to enable better quality in operations and more workforce agility.

So, what is RPA and what is AI and why should you use it?

RPA and AI often get mistaken for the same thing, or organisations decide to use both. RPA and AI are two different technologies, with two different uses, and quite often you don’t need both!

The Lowdown on RPA and AI

AI is short for Artificial Intelligence. Artificial Intelligence replicates the human thought process. It takes the knowledge of a human and builds it into the application. AI deals with unstructured data, meaning that it self improves and continuously thinks and learns. It is the ‘brain and spine’.

RPA is short for Robotic Process Automation. RPA behaves like a person. It deals with high volumes of structured data to carry out repetitive tasks that humans do. The purpose of RPA is to remove those high volume, repetitive tasks that we hate. It is ‘the fingers’.

How do you decide?

Before you chose to adopt RPA or AI, as a business you have some big questions to ask yourself – as the decisions you make will affect the next 10 years of your business operations.

  • What business am I in?
  • How do I want to deliver services?
  • What do I need my operating model to look like?

The cultural impact of automation is significant. It touches every employee and manager within an organisation, so equally, the training and messaging around automation has to be key!

How to make it successful?

  • Choose your areas of automation carefully and then work with humans to identify what can be offloaded to automation and take their knowledge to create the automation.
  • Train your people on RPA and AI. Help them to understand what it is and how they can identify processes that may be suitable for automation.
  • Get your house in order! Automation only works with good, clean data.
  • Continually review your processes to make sure your automation is efficient and user friendly.

Automation is your friend. It isn’t here to take your job or make your life hard. On the contrary, the whole point of automation is to take the robot out of the human. To remove the high volume, menial tasks within your role or your team, freeing people up to contribute more value-add work to your business, so don’t fear it, work with it!

If you would like to find out more about re:find and how we can support you and your business then please get in touch.

James Cumming is our MD, Interim and Transformation Search specialist. If you’ve got a hard-to-fill role and need some help, get in touch. Connect with him on LinkedIn.

Automation is dead…(long live HR recruiters)

Automation is dead…(long live HR recruiters)
Automation is dead…(long live HR recruiters)

Automation is dead…long live HR recruiters! “Recruitment is dead… automation spells the end of recruitment as we know it… recruiter jobs replaced by chat-bot…  interviews no longer needed – we have a fully automated hiring process…”

 

Heard any of these lines before? I bet you have (apart from the last one – I made that one up but it doesn’t seem that far-fetched if you believe the news)!

 

LinkedIn is currently awash with stories telling us that it’s the end of recruitment as we know it, as companies are increasingly pouring money in to direct sourcing and automation – and not HR recruiters.

 

But here’s the thing, recruitment isn’t dying, far from it. In actual fact, spend on agents has increased and evidence shows that the industry grew rapidly in 2017.

 

In 2008 during the height of the recession, companies had the power, but this balance is now shifting back into the candidate’s favour, and they are noticing. Wages are on the increase, people are getting multiple offers and buybacks are now becoming more prevalent.

 

This makes hiring more challenging and will put pressure on retention rates, as people’s confidence and the benefit to move increases. This will ultimately impact time to hire metrics, cost per hire, and more importantly in my mind – business growth.

 

But how is this?

 

The problem with automation is that people are variable by nature, and not to mention emotional.

 

Nothing is going to beat picking up the phone and having a conversation with someone. A good story beats data hands down every time. In a growing economy with talent shortages and unemployment at an all-time low, people will be swayed by the business that has the most compelling story and makes it the easiest for them to join.

 

When you consider how many companies use technology badly, it’s easy to see why candidates get frustrated whilst applying for jobs.

 

Let’s put it simply – if you had 2 jobs with the same salary, same role. One had you communicate with a chatbot, and the other with your potential boss… guess which one would be more successful in establishing an emotional connection with a potential employee?

 

It’s not rocket science, is it? And before you say, yeah but recruiters are crap as well. Some are. But they are also very good at getting people interested and building an emotional connection – I think tech is a little way off on this front.

 

Still think that recruitment’s dead? I wouldn’t be so sure…To discuss further, you can email me on James@refind.co.uk.

You can view more about James Cumming our change and business transformation specialist here

Is ‘robotic process automation’ taking recruiters jobs?

Is 'robotic process automation' taking recruiters jobs?
Is ‘robotic process automation’ taking recruiters jobs?

Is ‘Robotic Process Automation’ taking recruiters’ jobs? If you’ve worked in shared services, you’ve likely heard of RPA.

 

But what exactly is Robotic Process Automation? RPA refers to a growing trend across shared service centres all over the world whereby we now have robots that can perform more and more intelligent tasks. Whilst automation has been around for a while, thanks to the rate at which technology is changing we now have intelligent software systems that can process and data quickly and more efficiently than their human counterparts.

 

RPA is like a software robot, or artificial intelligence, that can perform human tasks and is designed specifically to perform a vast range of repetitive functions and communicate between other systems, in much the same way that humans do.

 

Once implemented, this software is a cheaper, more accurate and more efficient option for many businesses. Robots don’t sleep so they can work through the night, they won’t call in sick or be late on Monday morning and you don’t have the expense of having to provide them with benefits.

 

In some areas headcount can be reduced by more than double land with human error eliminated, it’s a no-brainer for most onshore…

 

More than 50% of shared service centres have plans to implement RPA in the future. But why? The main purpose of companies creating SSC’s, is to eliminate costs and improve efficiencies. Robots perform better than humans once rapidly trained, so it’s no wonder the stats are so high.

 

 

Some of the benefits of RPA include:

  • Reduced costs – between 30% and 80% savings
  • Improved efficiency
  • 24×7 work
  • Agility
  • Increases customer and employee satisfaction
  • Improved compliance
  • Human error eliminated

 

Robotic process automation will be the future of Shared Services. It will eliminate manual processing, reduce errors and inevitably saved time & costs. It will also provide a better service; software robots act in the same way as human beings and are trained extremely quickly to process data in a certain way, although they don’t make errors. Over time this software becomes more intelligent as it is self-learning and identifies trends, meaning that any unusual information that may have previously gone unnoticed will be flagged up by the robot.

 

RPA won’t work in everyone’s favour. It reduces headcount within a SSC, meaning redundancies for some, and initially, these transformation projects will be a big cost for businesses. Also, because of the complexities of changing existing systems, they don’t always work. There needs to be a solid strategy behind it with all stakeholders engaged in the project, as most transformation can fail if not implemented correctly. This is something that we’ve previously highlighted in these blogs (https://refind.co.uk/how-hr-is-preparing-for-digital-transformation/ & https://refind.co.uk/change-management-learning-secrets-success/).

 

Not all suppliers are in favour either, as sending invoices electronically may cause issues to supplies current accounting processes.

 

Some examples of how RPA is used.

 

Finance & Procurement

  • 3-way matching.
  • Invoice processing.
  • Cash allocation.
  • Credit status
  • Parsing

 

HR

  • Processing starters and leavers
  • Applicant screening
  • Recruitment feedback/rejection emails
  • Data management
  • Saving on recruitment costs

 

Payroll

  • New starters/leavers
  • Contractual changes
  • Attendance/absence records
  • Holiday records
  • Deductions such a pension, salary sacrifice etc.
  • Expenses

 

What are your experiences with robotic process automation? Has your business benefited from new technology, or has it caused problems in your workplace? To discuss you can email me at sam@refind.co.uk

You can view more about Sam Perry our Shared Services Executive Search expert here.