5 Global Trends in HR Tech that We'd Like to See in India
While the trend of technology in HR is yet to mature and reach its full potential in India, it is definitely catching up with its global counterparts. The buyers and suppliers of HR technology in India have taken several steps in the right direction leading the industry pundits to predict that the maturity story of the HR technology domain in India may shape up quicker and better.
The international HR industry is talking about progressive technologies like cloud, big data and analytics, e-learning and mobile recruitment, and we hope these would soon leave their mark in the Indian HR tech space as well.
Here are the 5 global trends in HR tech that we’d like to see in India:
Mobile recruitment
Mobile recruitment is a great method for recruiters to reach potential candidates directly via apps or functions such as push notifications. These tools help in streamlining the recruitment process, and making it easier to find candidates than web-based job boards, which have become saturated and redundant. With 220 million smartphone users, India is the second biggest smartphone market, and hence provides a huge market for mobile recruiting. The Indian HR must incorporate a mobile responsive platform within their talent acquisition strategy.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Predictive Analysis
Though at an initial stage, the use of artificial intelligence for candidate selection, and more mundane and repetitive tasks of the HR function, have shown efficient results, and achieved more profitability than when done by humans.
Instead of relying on manual systems and excel spreadsheets which are more often ridden with faults and uncertainties, more organizations are embracing people analytics and algorithms to gather and analyze data as a part of their robust talent acquisition and retention strategies. Predictive Analysis can be employed to help HR from ‘attrition to feedback’ – it can provide behavioural assessment, identify ‘toxic’ employees, ensure better productivity, recommend learning and development, hire perfect talent, predict unplanned absences and attrition, highlight promotions and transfers, and many more things.
Blind CVs
A human-based hiring process leads to subjectivity, unconscious bias and risk of a bad hire. Hence, a shift was made to a more objective and data-driven policy of blind CVs. The use of blind CVs in applicant screening was pioneered by Deloitte, and soon followed by KPMG, HSBC, the BBC, and many more. In this arrangement, interviewers have no information other than the candidate’s name, hence overrunning the risk of stereotypical assumptions and perceived discrimination even before the candidate has entered the room. This trend with algorithms playing a key role in candidate assessment, could be a game-changer on the Indian HR circuit as well.
Cloudsourcing
Cloudsourcing or migrating company HR data (from servers) into the cloud is gaining momentum across most industries. Apart from data, cloud-based talent solutions offer functions such as advanced reporting and analytics, recruiting, and other HR activities including attendance, payroll, learning, and employee engagement and support. Apart from these cloud-based HR platforms being inexpensive, user-friendly and mobile compatible, they offer operational continuity and a more efficient data security feature.
Blended learning
HR leaders have started recognizing the role of technology in learning and development as a move to support business growth. Companies have started investing in well-crafted L&D programmes with a blend of formal and informal learning as a part of their talent management strategy. Apart from offering a range of sources and platforms for learning including elearning, mobile learning, coaching and mentoring, companies are also promoting visual storytelling and gamification as a part of training delivery method.
The Indian HR industry is rooting for significant growth and increased sophistication, and it doesn’t need a crystal ball gazer to foresee that the application of these global trends can provide the same.