Two major waves of transformation in HR

Moore’s Law probably is starting to get more attention than ever as we reach that stage of research & technological advances in varied fields like AI, Machine Learning, 3D Printing, robotics etc. that are coming together and are certain to disrupt a lot of what we see today. Also, today’s generation is growing up with technology like no generation has ever. And this is only going to get more and more complex with time. 

In my opinion, Human Resource as a function is bound to evolve – rather radically – for this workforce of tomorrow. It is no longer a science fiction movie from the 80s, it will be a reality in 2020 to see robots working alongside humans. Considering what we know today and the expected surge in disruptive innovations of tomorrow, I feel there will be two major waves of transformation in HR:

By one popular estimate, 65% of children entering primary schools today will ultimately end up working in completely new job types that don’t yet exist.1 With the independent, tech savvy Millennial and Gen Z population starting to take on more important roles in the organization, the needs of the workforce are going to be considered in a dramatically different way from today. The answer to the question, “What Do You Do?” is probably going to change from “I’m a Software Engineer and also a Trekker” to “I’m a Trekker and code for a living.” I also think the typical work culture is going to be replaced by a more remote, contractual type of work environment. The workforce will expect far more work flexibility, use of technological advances & independence in employment (One – Many relationship). Today’s concepts of engagement, loyalty, employment etc. will undergo a major shift in perspective. 

This translates to huge amount of disruption, not only in the world of HR but also in the policies that are drafted by the governments. While this is the future, it is inevitable and for the good of mankind, the question of “How do we prepare for this change?” is essential. I find adoption of methodologies that are prevalent in other industries and internalizing it for HR will be a plausible solution. Today, HR organizations adopting the Agile methodology in everyday work is creating a positive impact by building and adapting to immediate feedback. Similarly, Human-Centered Design that is used creatively by organizations like IDEO can be adopted in the field of HR to develop strong models that are flexible & scalable to the needs of the generation and changing workforce. 

With the crest of independent fields of research now materializing to sizable end products, technology is going to be another game changer in the field of HR. Today, there is a huge spike in the electronics industry with smart phones and wearable devices. This is already happening and many organizations are integrating this technology in their everyday work to maximize user experience. Like the short video résumé replacing the standard paper format, to better sieve & filter résumés based on job descriptions & effective time and labor management over wearable devices, technology is changing the current face of HR. Also, with concepts like cloud computing, robotics & social media, organizations are realizing the true potential of Human Capital Management.  Data analytics and insights are also gathering good pace that is enabling organization drive HR solutions that are impactful and data driven. The future is being able to stay on top of the technological advancement which can help in staying relevant with the audience and also offering a solution that is flexible & based on the needs of the employee.

Robotics, Machine Learning and AI are going to play an integral part of our lives tomorrow. This would obviously call for creating polices that are suited for this work environment. Also, I believe that we may move away from the current concept of Business Partnering using AI to a more remote & always available bot technology. The future also will be lean for HR teams focused on a COE model for resolution and strategy.

All in all, interesting times are ahead and without a doubt. All Ears is our only solution to stay ahead of the curve. 

References

1. McLeod, Scott and Karl Fisch, “Shift Happens”