The face of Human Resource Management (HRM) is changing each day and organizations must be prepared to welcome the change. The need to implement positive change is quite essential especially with modern organizations which are largely known for largely involvement with employees. With the implementation of new HR technology, all the existing computers and software used by the organization must be updated in order to meet the current technological standards which not only create efficiency in operations, but also enhancing competency geared towards achieving competitive advantage. Secondly, the leadership is likely to be associated with certain changes within the organization since a the entire organization is expected to respond accordingly to enable effective adoption.
Current Technology
Artificial Intelligence
It seems inevitable that technology will replace human beings in all sectors. As more machines take over an increasing number of jobs, the future is being blocked by fears of the role human beings will take. To that extent, the future of human employment seems to lie in the skills that we possess. There is no denying that technology will take over many jobs in the future; however, there are specific roles that they cannot fulfill. The future of human employment lies in one's ability to use social skills, empathy, and high order skills to gain an edge over or collaborate machines in the workplace
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With the advent of technology in the workplace, human beings have a secret weapon as they face off against robots in the future workforce: empathy. Although machine learning and artificial intelligence (A.I) are making great strides in manual tasks and critical thinking, humans still possess an occupational advantage in the myriad of displaced workers ( Tambe, Cappelli, & Yakubovich, 2019 ). Tasks and jobs that need one-on-one interaction, like in hospitality, healthcare, tourism, and education, will firmly remain in the hands of humans.
Statistics show that an increasing number of duties are being taken up by machines. Many experts have brought up concerns about the threat posed by A.I. Oxford University forecasts that 47% of total employment in the U.S is under threat due to automation. This finding is backed by McKinsey which states that around 45% of job tasks can be computerized, and 30% of workers face the prospect that most of their functions can be done by machines ( Tambe, Cappelli, & Yakubovich, 2019 ). This is a narrative that the world has encountered before. Several times in the past, machines have transformed where and how human being work. Throughout history, technological advancements enabled the mechanization of processes that needed manual labor ( Tambe, Cappelli, & Yakubovich, 2019 ). With the emergence of AI at the workplace, physical jobs at the low-level like in logistics and transportation have been automated. Undoubtedly, machines have taken over the roles done by human beings; however, certain roles just require skills inherent in human beings.
As bad as recent developments at the workplace appear, a future in which robots substitute humans is not foreseeable. Experts who have examined AI, which includes human-machine collaborations, assert that the future will not be humans vs. computers, but humans alongside computers. Instead of being substituted, humans will be re-delegated to higher level tasks that need more cognitive skills ( Tambe, Cappelli, & Yakubovich, 2019 ). For instance, even if a call center embarks on automation, it will need to be managed by humans.
Further, sensors must be produced and repaired, algorithms need to be developed, and robots serviced. There will be significant opportunities for people in healthcare since healthcare professionals require social intelligence to attend to patients. Tasks across the healthcare sector, from nursing aides to skilled nurses, to physical therapy, mental health, and occupational health, need emotional intelligence and empathy that cannot be replicated by machines ( Tambe, Cappelli, & Yakubovich, 2019 ). Considering the aging of the population, there will be excellent opportunities for semi-skilled and professional counselors and caregivers. Another sector that holds potential for jobs is education. Whereas online classes will replace some forms of classroom learning, the industry will still need more teachers, mentors, tutors, and coaches. Therefore, human beings still have a stable future in the workforce. Overall, it appears that creating knowledge-based enterprises whereby human beings collaborate with machines is the best way business can tackle the challenges that come with automation.
The advent of robots has placed a real threat to the future of jobs. Nonetheless, humans will still thrive in the workplace due to our empathy and social intelligence, along with cognition and high-order skills. Amid job automation, there will always be plum opportunities for human beings. On that account, people need to develop their soft skills to remain relevant in the workplace.
Image 1: The Image depicts how artificial intelligence has been used to amalgamate HR functions.
Human Resource Information System (HRIS)
Human resource information systems (HRIS) are programs that that employers and their managers utilize to control the human resources role of a firm. Implementation of a HRIS would enable a business to create presentations and generate reports since it gathers all data regarding the firm’s human resources and recruitment practices (Kim & Sung-Choon, 2013). Besides, An HRIS system would enhance the recruitment process since it would enable both external applicants and the firm’s staff to apply for job openings. An HRIS system would allow the firm to restructure its operations so that it becomes more efficient.
The most common HRIS option used by firms is the Employee Information Systems (EIS) which collects data related to the company and individuals such as name, address, education, marital status, experience, salary rate, and employment history. It also contains information on the skills of the employees. It means that the EIS is a collection of the profile of each staff. It contains data regarding employees’ work experience, interests, proficiencies, preferences, and test scores. The top HR functions that benefit from integration of the system are staffing, planning, employee development, employee maintenance, and employee development (Kim & Sung-Choon, 2013). Ultimately, the Operation HRIS enable an organization to achieve its ultimate business goals.
Image 2: The functions of HRIS
Technology and Privacy
Governance of Privacy
Enhancing legislation concerning privacy is an occurrence that will be more profound in the near future. As companies design security controls for HR technology, these may affect with individual anticipation of privacy. To address this issue, the companies use a technology policy to address privacy concerns. The technology policy is well-formed and includes clear and defined expectations on procedures that impact privacy.
Protection of Data
In the implementation of a HR technology program, protection of data is not only relevant to company data. Federal and state regulations that guide the dispensation of personal information in a work setting apply, and if the firm is gathering personal information from the device of an employer, security, expiration, the purpose, among others, of the accumulated data must be clearly defined in the privacy policy ( Zhang et al., 2011) . A company is supposed to perform an assessment of the risks that are related with dispensation. If a third party is used to process data, that is, if the firm uses a provider of cloud service, it is crucial that that data is protected through an agreement of data processing with the third party (Thomson, 2012). With the transfer of data, the duty of protecting the data should be shifted and the compliance should be verified.
The Right to Erasure and Be Forgotten
It is gradually more widespread for regulation involving privacy to include provisions for the right to be forgotten for the employees, and to have an individual’s personal data deleted when he/she leaves the company (Hunt, 2012). Therefore, an organization needs assesses the effect relevant regulations to the company and develops support procedures that are formalized to handle these requests.
Monitoring Privacy at the Work Place
There is a broad range of requirements and laws centered on monitoring, data protection, and wiping. For example, privacy regulations in the EU state that surveillance should be restricted to the use of the device at the workplace only. Company-wide and worldwide monitoring may also be limited, as EU limits transfer of data to countries that are non-EAA ( French, Aaron, Chengqi, & Shim, 2013) . Labor laws depend on the state and limit the company for monitoring the personal information of employees. This may restrict the firm’s ability to control and monitor sent to mobile devices for the purpose of security. These needs are complicated further when, for example, an employee gives a child the device to play a game. To avoid these pitfalls involving measures that monitor privacy, a company should use a product that enables the monitoring ability to occur entirely around activities that are work-related.
Technology and HR
Effective implementation of technological changes enhances competencies which in turn improves the overall performance. Facts about technology benefits are quite clear: first, it reduces the bulky and manual publication of work, improves the management of information, provision of new skills to the existing HR personnel via education. From the past research conducted, most of the companies are adapting to IT application into the organizational functions by integrating their databases and information systems so that accurate information can be conveyed to the senior managers ( Parry & Strohmeier, 2014) . The technology has led to the division of HRM into high-tech, which is concerned with strategic issues and low-tech, is much concentrated on old HR ways of dealing with employees. HRM function must be ready to offer adjustments that can lead into maximization of the benefits brought about by technology in the business environment.
Inclusive and Participatory Employee Engagement
In the last decades, the major roles of the HR were all about the management of the workforce within the organization. They paid much attention to management of labor force rather than participating in strategic planning of the organization and decision making. Designing contract and rules and regulations governing the employees formed most of their tasks ( Parry & Strohmeier, 2014) . Line managers were like a channel through which information reaches the employees. They were to communicate the decisions made by the senior personnel managers to the employees as well as acting as negotiators between the employees and employers.
Leadership is all about influence, and the managers are capable of creating a positive attitude about change to employees as this can highly dictate the realization of organizational goals through the initiated change programs. Most of the change initiatives fail because there are lack of engagement of employees which results into change resistance. Positive change is the product of positive influence of employees’ attitude towards change and can boost their morale or even the output levels.
The competitive position of organizations today must express the intention of winning the minds of employees through rational commitment as well as their hearts or simply their emotions. Decision-making form part of routinely activities of managers and leaders chooses to follow a consultative style in their leadership duties ( Parry & Strohmeier, 2014) . The act of engaging the employees through consultation is quite helpful in identifying what should be done to achieve greater milestones as far as performance is concerned. The employees lack the power since their leaders are not willing to empower them more often. Their commitment to the task is all about rewards, agreements and respect.
Changes to HR Technology in Next 1-5 Years
Current trends in the industry indicate that technology will be used to attain the staffing requirements of organizations. In particular, technology will help with recruitment strategies and talent management. Recruitment is one of the most important exercise that when poorly conducted, a business idea could not materialize (Tërstena, Goga, & Jashari, 2020). Management of various organizations have come to an agreement that recruiting good workers is vital if success is to be achieved.
Image 3: How technology will shape HR in the next few years
Rather than outsourcing the recruitment function, technology will be used to bolster in-house recruitment. In-house or internal recruiting is always preferred because it saves time and money, but this is limited to the talent that the organization has. Usually, this is characterized by upgrading employees from within the organization to fill the positions that have created. The way of handling internal recruitment is somehow tricky because in most cases, conflict of interest could arise, but with the use of technology, correct procedure will be followed in ensuring that the qualified candidate is matched to the job (Tërstena, Goga, & Jashari, 2020). This type of recruitment will be in the form of creating as well as shuffling of the temporary teams for the purposes of filling in certain tasks that might be required. Further, technology will give companies the ability to use horizontal recruitment or promoting the best qualified and experienced employees who can take the business to the next level.
References
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Hunt, J. (2012). BYOD Policy. What Businesses Need to Consider. Credit Control , no. 5.
Kim, H., & Sung-Choon, K. (2013). Strategic HR functions and firm performance: The moderating effects of high-involvement work practices. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 30 (1), 91-113
SHRM Workplace Trends. (2000). How will new technologies change the Human Resource profession? Retrieved from http://www.indiana.edu/~jobtalk/HRMWebsite/hrm/articles/hrm/TechnologyChange.htm
Parry, E., & Strohmeier, S. (2014). HRM in the digital age–digital changes and challenges of the HR profession. Employee Relations .
Tërstena, A., Goga, A. J., & Jashari, B. (2020). Improving the efficiency of human resources with the use of new technologies and reorganization process. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478) , 9 (1), 31-38.
Thomson, G. (2012). BYOD: Enabling the Chaos. Network Security . 5-8
Tambe, P., Cappelli, P., & Yakubovich, V. (2019). Artificial intelligence in human resources management: Challenges and a path forward. California Management Review , 61 (4), 15-42.
Zhang, X., Kunjithapatham, A., Jeong, S., & Gibbs, S. (2011). Towards an elastic application model for augmenting the computing capabilities of mobile devices with cloud computing. Mobile Networks and Applications , 16 (3), 270-2
