HR technology – a game or not?
Can businesses use technology for HR? It seems they can – and the more fun employees have with it, the better their results
We’re using technology to measure everything: how did we do on that run or bike ride? How many “likes” do you have on Facebook — and how many endorsements do you have on LinkedIn? How do your company’s financial results compare to last year’s — and last decade’s? Quickly: cobble a spreadsheet together (if you’re still in the 2000s) or find an app to do the job for you.
When it comes to something apparently less quantifiable, less tangible and more subjective like Human Resources (HR) measurement, is it possible to measure human performance with technology, without taking the humanity out of the process?
Kwezikazi Mandondo, HR manager at SAP Functional Consultants, says that the current business environment is a new world of new realities, demands and expectations. “Operating in this new world requires, in many cases, a fundamental rethinking of HR strategies,” she says. “Today’s dynamic and diverse workforce requires a new level of employee engagement across the complete life cycle to attract, organise, develop, and retain the best expertise and skills to effectively execute your business strategy ahead of the competition. Time is of the essence. Organisations must be quick and nimble to stay in front, because technology is a game changer.”
The technology HR uses and re– quires to operate in this new world must also change, she says. “We’ve always relied on HR systems to help transform business strategies into business outcomes that are quantifiable, measurable, business results.”
These include creating faster times to market with a particular product, driving employee engagement for competitive differentiation, and being able to react rapidly to changing business requirements.
“In the past, HR systems/technology were primarily focused on process automation, whether it was a process to hire an employee or update an address, all the way to performance management and learning/development. Too often the technology focused more on the process itself instead of the person executing the process,” says Mandondo.
“But even if you do focus on the person, user expectations have changed — people are [becoming more] mobile, collaborative, and social, and they expect business systems to act like the consumer systems they use every day, such as Facebook, Amazon, and LinkedIn, for example.
“The realm of possibilities enabled by technology has changed as well, because information and processes delivered to end users can now help them predict, plan, implement and measure. “Therefore, as you begin or continue to transform business strategies into outcomes, the technology needs to encompass the right combination of things to maximise employee engagement by putting them at the centre, to keep them committed, involved, and productive during that transformation.”
There may well be systems and processes run by software to manage talent, assess goals and development and guide employees through training programmes, but if we struggled to get employees to engage positively with these struc- tures when there were people driving participation, how are we going to get them to engage positively with software?
One of the hottest trends internationally is the gamification of HR, and it’s gaining traction because of the ever-increasing proportion of millennials in the workplace.
A recent Gallup poll found that on average, only 31% of employees are engaged at work, but that this figure falls to just over 28% among millennials, compared to 32% for Generation X and baby boomer workers.
These millennials are the ones who can’t be prised away from the social sharing and gaming apps on their mobile devices, so several large international companies are piloting gamified applications that encourage recruitment, or that inspire employees to be more engaged.
Gamification uses the behaviourmotivating elements from board and online games, and applies them to conventionally non-gaming situations. Typically, “players” earn points or rewards, and compete with one another — virtually or in real life — to top points logs, to earn recognition from other players, or to achieve “badges”.
Employers can use gamification during the recruitment process by rewarding prospective employees with rewards for completing each step in an online application process. This not only filters candidates, it helps boost the efficiency of the orientation process when they are hired.
For example, PwC Hungary wanted to engage with its pool of job candidates more effectively, including finding ways to test their readiness to join the firm before they even walked through the door for that first interview. It set up “Multipoly”, which sets tasks based on the competencies that the firm is hoping to recruit for, and tasks candidates with various games to evaluate their potential. The firm found that those that have played the game before arriving for their interviews are better prepared, they know more about the company, and they are easier to on-board once employed, as they have already gained some insight of the company’s culture.
If it’s increasing engagement and knowledge sharing between employees that your organisation is seeking, Qualcomm, a player in the digital communications space, has a platform where employees can answer questions posed by their colleagues. The best answers receive votes, and rise to the top of the rankings, while extra rewards are offered for exceptional participation, such as answering a difficult question that has gone unanswered for more than 30 days.
Mandondo adds that technology is allowing employees to experience a more clear and inclusive talent approach, which means that they can better understand how their contributions are valued, and how to make plans for future developments.
“They are able to access goals and development objectives from anywhere on their mobile device,” she says. “They can engage in performance updates with their managers at their own pace, and are able to be the learner and the teacher, the peer and the expert.”
Using technology to manage HR processes is not just for the benefit of employees — it means that leaders are empowered to do what they’re meant to be doing: leading, and spending less time on administration.
“They are able to know the talent in their organisations faster and more deeply through multi-faceted people profiles,” she adds. “Deeper insights into employee experience, passion and career objectives have given leaders the ability to better optimise talent.”