Over the last decade, the HR function has evolved at an exponential rate to cater to the several drastic changes such as the way employees are hired, work, learn, communicate and collaborate. With the fight for talent getting hotter by the day, the human resource department is becoming even more relevant than ever before - to hire, review, manage and train the workforce, and create a robust business ecosystem.

From digitalization to work-from-home friendly policies, businesses are pushing the boundaries to stay afloat and keep employees satisfied. Though the current global situation has taken away millions of jobs, however, it has also accelerated one of the biggest workplace transformations of all times.

Challenges

As the COVID-19 came along, the challenges that the human resource department faced started to pile up. Challenges varied based on the company's location, sector, and size, and the sector they operate in. Continuing the business was essential and so was crisis management, and hence, HR was in complete turmoil during the COVID-19 outbreak. The only possible solution was to seek technical support to enable employees to work-from-home while also managing the budget, employee morale, employee engagement and reviewing company costs during unprecedented times.

While ensuring business continuity was the top priority, human resource departments were also struggling to prioritize flexible work arrangement, increasing awareness, addressing employee grievances, reviewing salaries, making available technical support and more.

Solution

(COVID-19 has attracted innovation in technology and more to redefine the HR Processes)

Digitalization: Digitalization has played a crucial role, for small to large scale companies, amid the on-going pandemic. From administration to execution professionals, every employee is being armed up with devices and software to keep track of work processes; this has enabled businesses’ to function and collaborate internally using productivity tools and has helped improve operational efficiency with agile business continuity plans.

Automation: Given the current industry scenario and advancement in technology, HR solutions for automated employee onboarding and automated help desk are gaining traction in the market. As a matter of fact, the remote working model and increased leverage of digital technologies have created the need to adapt and readapt the workforce to ensure the smooth functioning of the business. Entire hiring process is becoming virtual using intelligent assessment and video interview practices.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML): The application and integration of AI and ML algorithms have made the HR processes more efficient - to source and screen candidates, enabling psychometric analysis, using video interviewing tools, creating superior employee experience and engagement, improved safety awareness, and beyond. Top-tier companies across the world were already in the process of integrating Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, and the pandemic has propelled the rest of the sectors towards technology.

Data Collection & Mining Tool: To improve the nature of changes in the organization, the HR departments are using efficient data collection and mining tools. This will and has enabled the organization to adopt tools that help track how employees’ feel to drive business, work, perform and collaborate to improve operations and efficiency. Further, with the integration of advanced AI capabilities with Data Collection and Mining Tools, HR will be able to deliver actionable insights for informed and faster decision making.

Path Forward

The pandemic led changes in the HR processes and recruitment are setting down deep into the roots of the private sector. While the need of the hour is for human resources to go digital, remote working will be imperative even as the situation ameliorates for improved efficiency not just for HR but across departments. Furthermore, digital means of hiring has become undoubtedly significant and will continue to be relevant even after the pandemic ends. It is time that wise, agile and ground-breaking organizations embrace the new normal as it comes and keeps redefining its processes to keep up with the people, processes and the industry.