The digitization of HR processes brings with it the development of new skills necessary to manage activities with dedicated tools and integrated platforms, which, with the support of People Analytics, not only optimize but also create value for the company. Everything you need to know The Digital HR specialist and the Digital HR Manager are two new figures starting to enter organizations, precisely in support of the digital transformation of the function. Without adequate skills today nor a positive and collaborative business climate, companies increasingly struggle to face change and technological innovation while remaining competitive in the market.
As a cascade, the challenge concerns the HR division itself, which, especially in medium and large companies, has initiated the digital transformation of processes to support the business with the right people in the right place at the right time in recent years and to improve efficiency—low-value activities and freeing up energy for other, more value-added activities. But to digitize recruiting, onboarding, training and development, planning and allocating resources and succession planning also need new skills in the Human Resources division. HR Digital Transformation requires disseminating an approach. This mindset gives value to the data and information that can derive from it to support decisions on resource planning and investments for the development of people. It also requires specific figures with technical and managerial skills to make change happen.
Digital HR: What Is Meant
Digital HR supports the activities of Human Resources in transforming processes related to personnel management in a digital key. Thanks to dedicated tools, integrated platforms and HR Analytics with Artificial Intelligence algorithms, today it is possible to have a constantly updated and timely vision of the workforce in the company, not only in terms of personal data and administrative activities (from the expense report to the vacation plan, permits, attendance registration and meeting room reservations with the Hybrid Workplace) but also as a level of professional development, skills, preferences, expectations, results (Performance management). Digital HR knows workflows from the inside and masters digital applications that optimize processes and make integrated data available from multiple sources that, if used well, support the business.
What Digital HR Does
The Digital HR specialist is a junior figure with both HR and technical-digital skills. You have the role of supporting HR processes with digital tools to make informed decisions quickly, thanks to data analysis. Digitization mainly includes recruiting, onboarding, training and development, administration, planning and allocation of resources, and succession plans in the most advanced cases. Today some platforms can integrate the multiple data sources of human resources and manage them intelligently thanks to dedicated modules.
In practice, Digital HR follows and guides the provision of new tools, module after module, based on the digital roadmap that the HR Department gives itself, better if linked to the strategic objectives of the company. At the same time, the Digital HR specialist helps colleagues become familiar with new tools and understand the value derived from the intelligent use of data. Furthermore, it systematizes and analyzes all the data available on the workforce and submits the training and professional gaps that emerge to the managers to intervene effectively on the dimensions to be strengthened to support the organization with the skills and level of involvement and the productivity of the needs.
In turn, the Digital HR manager is a more senior figure in charge of the Digital HR function, which consistently reports to the Director of Human Resources. He also integrates HR and technical-digital skills with a more directional management process. It is the reference point for introducing new collaborative, agile and digital ways of working in the workforce and establishes the adoption of new tools up to an integrated HR platform to manage human resources about performance, for example, training and professional development.
On the one hand, therefore, it promotes social collaboration and innovation in the company, introducing new methodologies and work tools and promoting sociality and productivity, engagement and the level of satisfaction of people with digital tools that simplify and improve the exchange of communication between colleagues and work teams. On the other hand, it promotes and directs the digitization of HR processes, starting from selection and onboarding. It uses People Analytics, or HR Analytics, i.e. data, statistics and analysis, to develop predictive models on human behavior and compare the available skills. In the company, with those necessary for the business and to implement internal and external development and recruiting actions.
Skills and training
In general, Digital HR has studied personnel management and organization principles and knows the most advanced methodologies and digital tools for recruiting, training, performance analysis, planning, administration, organization and internal communication. Master UX Design tools, i.e. User Experience, because the staff is the internal customer of the company and HR Analytics creates value for the company and people by monitoring the data available from different data sources.
Know the leading software for the management of payments (Payroll Software), but also those of Talent Management, Performance Management and Learning Management System (LMS)and evaluate the ones best suited to your organization. Typically, a Digital HR specialist has a humanistic background and then specializes with a master’s degree in human resources and modules or specialization courses on digital methodologies applied to the HR world. The Digital HR Manager has several years of experience in personnel management while focusing on digital methods to support the business with dedicated courses.
How recruiting changes with Digital HR
Digital recruiting is the search and selection of personnel that uses an automatic system that interacts with the company website, which receives thousands of CVs to be screened, and with the search and selection platforms of the job, and with social networks professionals, such as LinkedIn. Incoming applications and those intercepted on social media and platforms by dedicated software are filtered, chosen and selected based on specific keywords related to the required job profile, saving time and resources in this first phase. Digital recruiting is, to all intents and purposes, a system of disintermediation of research that simultaneously relieves the employees of research and selection from work.
Today, virtual tests are also available to ascertain candidates’ skills and reference verification software. Today, on the websites of the most advanced companies in terms of Digital HR, there are also chatbots for “automatic” video interviews; that is, you answer the questions of an automatic system, answers that are then analyzed in qualitative and quantitative form by the system itself, in the more advanced states even with visual recognition. All information is collected on a system accessible to the various managers, from HR to line managers, who can also take into account the ranking proposed by the system to decide who to meet to continue the selection process.
With the pandemic, the second phase has been managed increasingly with video interviews. This method continues to be appreciated because it allows you to manage selections remotely, with significant savings in time and resources and being able to draw in a broader pool of valuable candidates with no geographical barriers or reciprocal costs. For those who pass all these early stages, at the end comes the interview in the company. In addition to saving resources, automatic systems supported by artificial intelligence algorithms should help to intercept, in a more precise and targeted way, on large basins of online candidates. These profiles best match your search.
The benefits Of HR Digital Transformation for companies
Taking advantage of human resources data, collecting them, comparing them, analyzing them and making informed decisions in real-time, thanks also to the use of algorithms and artificial intelligence, are the advantages of new technologies also applied to the HR division. Thanks to advanced management tools, and integrated platforms on data sources relating to personnel and People Analytics, today, it is possible to have accurate workforce planning and adequate internal mobility to support the business.
The digitization of HR processes provides greater clarity on the human capital available, the skills present, and those to be acquired on the market and developed internally with targeted and personalized training to be a business partner in the organization’s development strategy. Furthermore, automating some processes, from the first recruiting phase to the self-service expense report, saves time and resources and reduces the risk of human error, both in selecting a candidate and compiling an expense report. Digital systems are supportive of managing human resources not only from an administrative point of view but also to personalize training and facilitate development in the company.
Today, for example, dynamic and interactive e-learning platforms are available, rich in internal and external content, able to suggest targeted paths based on skill gaps, both soft and challenging, but which also follow individual aspirations and preferences, all tracked, monitored and certified. This facilitated approach to continuing education wherever and whenever you want strengthens people’s skills. The level of progress is integrated into the Performance Management profile for an overall and all-around view of individual resources, which can be made available to encourage internal mobility. Digital systems favor transparency and increase the visibility of the many hidden talents in the company, contributing to the effectiveness of company retention policies by enhancing and listening to one’s resources.
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