What keeps HR managers from adopting innovative technologies?

THE FUTURE of work is changing and evolving as the world continuously develops technology tools to maximize efficiency, productivity, profitability, and flexibility.

However, the same can’t be said about human resource (HR) managers as they seem to struggle to optimally embrace technology and accelerate or support digital initiatives.

This is surprising considering the fact that HR professionals and managers deal with a lot of repetitive, administrative, and monotonous tasks that can easily be automated and streamlined by investing in the right technology.

In other words, the HR division can strategically benefit from viable technology solutions if leveraged and tailored to achieve operational goals.

Despite HR managers having the right mindset and attitude to leverage technology to improve work processes, surveys suggest that there are prominent inhibiting factors hindering adoption.

#1 | Failing to realize the need for change

Employers are usually one step ahead of everyone else, but sometimes, they lack perspective when it comes to understanding how technology can sustain operations in the long run.

Meanwhile, the global demand for improved recruitment processes, talent development programs, risk management, and labor policy regulations have steadily increased over the past few years.

Which only means that the typical HR manager’s workload has increased manifold, typing them down with administrative tasks rather than helping them pursue high-skilled, meaningful tasks.

To meet these demands and secure tasks completion, HR teams need to be supported with the right tools.

Operations that fail to support their HR teams with the right automation solutions will fall behind competitors and negatively influence employee retention.

#2 | Limited resources to invest in technology

Technology is only a strain on resources if managers aim for a large-scale, front-end to back-end transformation, in a single phase.

A common misconception of HR managers and employers is that technology solutions need to be deployed at every stage of work processes – especially when they believe all tasks must be automated and digitalized.

Technology solutions are actually cost-effective options that are easy to implement as well as maintain.

HR managers and employers must be realistic about change and aim for solutions that can take over repeated and time-consuming administrative tasks as they will still impact operational efficiency in a drastic way.

#3 | Fear of skill redundancy

There is a common fear among some HR professionals and managers that adopting new technologies could make them redundant.

With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), it is feared that HR skills will be diminished in value.

In reality, such technologies allow HR teams to work on meaningful, high-skills tasks and eliminate errors to improve efficiency.

Although AI and ML provide HR teams with powerful insights and in-depth data analysis, HR expertise for follow-up tasks are still very much foundational and necessary.

The human touch of HR managers, ultimately, is key to an organization’s continued success, no matter the trajectory of development of technology solutions.

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