#NEXTCHAT: The Consumerization of IT

The consumerization of IT is rapidly evolving the technology we use at work. Social, mobile and video technologies have dramatically changed the way hiring professionals source and recruit candidates. As competition for top talent remains at an all-time high, companies like Ongig are making it easy for recruiters to harness candidates-friendly technology to create a more engaging candidate experience.

Meanwhile, despite efforts to establish HR as a more strategic business partner, it remains a largely tactical function for many organizations. Some say consumerized IT could be the catalyst HR needs to evolve into the strategic role they’ve been working towards. Chris Lennon, Product Manager at Silkroad Technologies, can attest, however, that HR is having trouble embracing social technologies.

One major problem lies in HR’s tendency to focus on policing proper use, rather than promoting best practices. As Lennon sees it, the issue with this train of thought is two-fold:

“First, the mere act of policing will slow down the communication. If a person is trying to share information real-time with their co-workers and it doesn’t show up right away, they will stop using the tool. Second, it doesn’t make sense financially to pay to have someone monitor such a tool for what are very rare exceptions.”

As Boomers near retirement, and the skills gap only widens, this old-school mentality has become a real obstacle for developing a more agile workforce. And as Tony Yang, director of marketing at Knoodle, asserts, there’s strong demand for innovation in talent management. “It stems from the need to share knowledge freely with those who need the information and at the right time.” 

For HR departments fighting for a seat at the table, it may be time to flex our tech muscles and shed the stereotype that HR just isn’t tech savvy. Vendors are responding to this growing demand, developing next generation tools that facilitate a sophisticated kind of talent management.

Please join us at 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday, September 26 for #NextChat with @KyleLagunas of Software Advice.  We'll explore the benefits and challenges associated with recent innovations in HR technology and cover the following questions:

Q1. Consumer technologies like social and mobile have been a catalyst for change in recruiting. How are they affecting HCM? 
Q2. Can HR leaders leverage consumer technologies like social learning apps to develop a more agile workforce? How? 
Q3. In what ways are social technologies facilitating more collaboration and communication in the workplace? Why is this important? 
Q4. What's HR's greatest hangup when it comes to adopting consumer technologies like social and mobile in the workplace? 
Q5. Does policing use and controlling access to new technologies help or hurt HR's image as a strategic business partner? 
Q6. Should HR leaders consider adopting social tools as part of an engagement and retention strategy?