Rainy days are refreshing. It is the way the sky descends to Earth, spreading the fragrance of life around us. After all, without rain there would be no life.
October 1997
It was the end of the rainy season and the time to welcome the winter weather. Bangalore was in its prime: the true garden city and pensioners’ paradise. He was transitioning from the NEC to the Tata home, the Taj West End. I joined the Personnel Department.
When I entered the lush green campus, filled with a cool cool breeze and the sound of birds singing; Mr. Thomas, the Schedule Office Manager, accompanied me to the Personnel Manager’s office and welcomed me to the Taj family. While the general induction went smoothly, it was difficult to ignore some subtle but important aspects of the organization, related to the tools in use:
- Payroll software (MS DOSbased on software to manage employee records)
- Printed payroll
- Salary statements (in a floppy disk) to be sent to the bank
- Dot matrix printers With the messy business of changing tapes from time to time
- Memos to write Word star (Also based on MS DOS)
The path to automation
With just a few months on the job, he had to handle the first real technology disruption within the HR function: the transition from drilling machine-based Time Office software to a skidding system. It was a huge surprise to everyone, and soon the concept of “punch and lunch” became a thing of the past. Magnetic cards began to monitor total work time and associated productivity at work.
The technology adoption process had started well. From then on (1997), there was no going back. From LAN, MAN and WAN to today’s cloud-based and mobile solutions, the process of obtaining, adapting and adopting new technologies in human resources has been continuous. Now, regardless of when the new technology is put into practice, using it, as a TEAM, to enhance business efforts is of utmost importance:
- Ttransform the business
- mexecute Right the first time, always
- FORagile
- SUBWAYObilize people’s strategies and ideas.
———— “If you don’t plan. Plan to fail.” Actively prepare and act accordingly.
———— Keep an end result in mind and create appropriate processes to drive the end result
———— Use information to create more meaningful interactions
The dynamic landscape
Change is happening at the speed of light. Many call it “digitization”, “disruption”, an “evolution” or even a “revolution”. Whatever it’s called, HR needs to adapt to this changing environment to remain relevant and add value to a company. Digital transformation is no longer an option, but an imperative for HR survival.
In general terms, we can classify HR into “Old HR” and “New HR”. The first was about incorporating processes and standardization. The latter consists of creating tailored solutions that meet the specific requirements of the industry in which a company operates. With such a dynamic technology landscape, there is no longer a “one size fits all” model in HR.
This new paradigm shift, since the 2000s, has completely changed the face of HR, transforming the function into a true strategic hub, becoming the Boardroom and influencing and driving the People and Transformation agenda.
As the father of HR Dave Ulrich suggested, HR must be a true business partner, agent of change, management savvy, and credible employee advocate.
The way to follow
The ABCs of digital HR – artificial intelligence, big data, and content – is making a big difference in the way the HR function creates engagement both inside and outside the organization. There is a greater accumulation of data through Hu-bots, such as Alexa, Sophia, and Watson. They are now a reality in the workplace, and while many leaders are alerting their HR functions to the threat such systems pose, my view is that these innovations should be embraced to improve employee experience and effectiveness. in the workplace.
Other online engagement platforms, such as company intranets and ERP systems, help manage data for various HR activities, but HR analytics, where investment has doubled in the last two years , uses this data to provide valuable information on employee behavior, a key insight that helps manage emotions, well-being, productivity and overall performance much more effectively and efficiently.
While many feel that advances in technology will slowly and steadily replace our position in the workplace, in reality that is not the case. Humans have been the creators of this technology, and the intent behind it has always been to complement our skills in the workplace and deliver impeccable value. By ignoring advances in the market, we risk being superseded, yet by embracing change and learning to work within the new digital environment, we are in fact putting ourselves in a position to perform. better than before. Technology need not replace the “human” element of human resources, but rather emphasize its importance and, as a result, its continued success.