The fact that digital transformation relies on technology makes it easy to forget that people still play a starring role. That’s why human resources (HR), a field shaped by age-old hiring practices, is on the cusp of changing for good. From a people-centric approach to recruitment to the importance of data in the hiring process, here’s how the online revolution is turning HR on its head.
Hire learning
Two decades ago, finding the right candidate meant calling your local newspaper and placing a well-written ad. But the modern world is fast embracing a people-to-people (P2P) outlook, empowered by the internet’s knack for connecting us with on-demand skills and talent. This means that social-media channels such as LinkedIn and Twitter and the personal networks of current employees are becoming HR managers’ biggest assets. At the same time, cloud-based hiring tools and analytics programs – along with human instinct – are rewriting the future of recruitment.
Seek out digital trailblazers
The ability to hire and retain digital talent can help your transformation efforts stick. It’s important to:
- Hire candidates with an entrepreneurial outlook and broad digital skills.
- Look for employees who embrace collaboration, flexibility, and innovation.
- Make agile thinking and lean principles central to the onboarding process.
Creating a digital-first culture depends on the efforts of your team as much as does on investing in the right technology.
Take a data-driven approach to HR
Digital transformation has flattened old-school workplace hierarchies and empowered the employee more than ever before. It’s also given rise to products and technologies – such as wristbands that measure productivity – that allow real-time insights into performance. The rise of people analytics, a model that uses Big Data to place candidates in the right positions, is also improving the chances of matching the right hires with the right jobs. This has also paved the way for an on-demand workforce in which freelance workers, suppliers, and contractors are just as pivotal as key staff.
Digital transformation is changing everything from recruitment and talent management to the way working relationships unfold. How is it shifting the way your HR team operates?