It is presently the best time to be in the domain of HR as organizations and individuals are focusing on adding strategic value to their business by strengthening their HR function. By leveraging the power of talent, organizations are betting on thriving in an automated and mechanized world. Let’s take a closer look at how companies are using social media and conversation-based tools to promote productivity and dispel age old people challenges.

A massive thrust to empower frontline employees through new age devices is underway. Organizations are embracing the new normal, wherein everyone is connected for the better. And considering that millennials are set to become the largest segment of the workforce in the near future, the urgency to be future-ready is more than ever. However, research by Facebook shows that in addition to being connected all the time, employees are also looking to solve a compelling challenge and really want to make a difference through their work. The priority of it might vary across generations, but the notion to reimagine their purpose and really make their work and role count is more prevalent than ever.

Integrating a digital aspect to the HR function goes way beyond using intelligent tools and software solutions. In order to drive cultural transformations and build communities at work, reimagining the entire employee experience, right from the candidate stage to employee exit, is imperative. This means that the second a prospective employee applies for any open position, they enjoy an immersive and engaging experience. The same needs to continue during the onboarding process, and while learning and development interventions. The scope is endless; every single HR process like recruitment, employee engagement, learning, rewards and recognition, performance management, collaboration, and exit management can be revamped using new tools and perspectives. By automating and optimizing HR processes, tools like chatbots and social media platforms, authentic information can be made available to employees instantly. Consider the case of onboarding: since most questions posed by new employees are repetitive, a conversation-based experience which answers every question anonymously is likely to ensure much better engagement.

Since people have already been extensively using social media platforms and IM-based applications for nearly a decade, there is no need for any training and using it comes intuitively to end-users. Additionally, a simple and easily accessible tool increases collaboration, improves communication, and enhances efficiency. A real-time flow of information that connects employees, regardless of their role or geography, helps them feel a part of the bigger picture, and induces a familiar and conducive environment for innovation. While many might argue that measuring things like collaboration or communication isn’t easy to measure, the fact of matter is that it is these intricate concepts help solve critical employee challenges. To conclude, HR has a great opportunity to design the future of work by betting big on the power of collaboration, and leverage technology to change the way we work.

(This article is based on the session ‘Digital HR: Building a Culture of Productivity’ by Sameer Chowdhri, CHRO Practice Lead, Workplace by Facebook at TechHR 2018.)