2020: What does the year hold for recruitment processes and HR Tech?

In the fast-paced world of digital transformation, it’s easy to be apprehensive about HR tech and the role it will play in an uncertain future. However, as we look to 2020 and beyond, the prevailing sentiment is that technology will play a supporting role behind the scenes rather than taking centre stage. As the tools human resource professionals use become more sophisticated, the end goal of HR tech remains the same: to ensure your organisation attracts and retains the best talent, reduces tedious, manual processes and frees up time for more strategic, value–adding work.  

Here we explore the top five future trends shaping HR tech and recruitment and what they mean for the professionals working in this space as well as business leaders: 

Analytics and big data take centre stage 

Today’s world is all about data. And the importance of data management in human resources is unquestionable. Analytics and big data are changing industries and are now often included in talent management software suites. HR professionals will need to embrace the technology that utilises analytics and big data to become strategic leaders in their companies. 

This trend towards data may also signal a need for HR departments to hire data specialists to accommodate the increased use of analytics. This will enable HR to further prove its value and drive positive change using the information derived from data analysis. 

Additionally, one of the technologies that is predicted to have a significant impact on HR is the blockchain. Blockchain transactions can be applied to virtually anything, like personal data, work history, or financial details. It will be interesting to watch the impact that blockchain has on the cybersecurity of sensitive HR data. 

AI matures but still has a way to go 

Heralded as an unstoppable force of industry disruption, AI has been portrayed simultaneously as both the answer to all recruiter’s problems and their biggest competition. The reality lies somewhere in between the two extremes, as AI matures, and early adopters gain perspective on its strengths and limitations. 

Going forward, AI will be used to enhance the role of the recruiter, rather than to replace it. Unlike humans, artificial intelligence does not bring biases to the candidate screening and selection process. If carefully designed, AI can reduce overt and unconscious biases in the recruitment process.

Another benefit of AI is that it can be leveraged throughout the candidate journey to free HR tech teams from manual processes and enhance the candidate experience. Conversational chatbots can engage candidates at crucial points in the recruitment journey. AI can also do the heavy-lifting when it comes to pre-screening candidates, and creating an intuitive recruitment experience.  

Managing remote workforces and agile work practices 

HR will increasingly have to tackle the challenge of managing a remote workforce. As human capital becomes more global, businesses will need to leverage employees where and when they are most productive and impactful, regardless of their location. This brings with it a new set of management challenges for HR technology to address.

Remote management isn’t a skillset every manager possesses. HT tech enabled automation and a different set of expectations will be part of the solution. New technologies will be used to analyse the work production instead of the working time. Results will become more important and business will expect HR to be producing more result-driven performance analysis. 

HR will market their brand  

For years now companies have been taking to social media to bolster their reputation and the image they present to prospective employees. According to LinkedIn, 72 per cent of recruiters agreed that a company’s brand and reputation have a significant impact not only on the recruitment process, but also on the organisation’s bottom line. A positive brand can reduce cost-per-hire and result in more qualified applicants. 

HR tech will evolve the ‘internal marketing’ role to include social marketing coordination and brand ownership. That means outside talent ‘buying’ into the brand – the company – with a view to working for the organisation. Data and social media platforms will be central to this push to identify specific micro-segments of either job seekers or job holders.

HR technology for employee mental health 

Employee wellness has a significant impact on any company, as it directly effects individual job performance and team productivity. Given its links to productivity and profits, it’s little wonder the wellness trend has made such an impact on the corporate world.

In 2020 and beyond, we’ll see HR tech leading more personalised health and wellness systems fuelled by employee data. Platforms using gamification and wearables will continue to grow, but there will be a notable shift of focus towards employee mental health. In the US for example, approximately one in five adults experience some form of mental disorder. Companies are starting to understand what that may mean for their overall performance and act to address the issues.  

Looking to 2020 and beyond, the changes for HR professionals are reflective of those sweeping businesses everywhere. The challenge for human resources will be to embrace the right kind of HR tech to make the fundamentals of their role easier: attracting and retaining the best talent and ensuring their ongoing productivity. 2020 is time for HR to use data and technology to reduce the administrative burden and to become strategic leaders.