Disruptive Technologies: The Next Big Things in HR

The cloud. Wearable tech. Big Data Analytics.

Disruptive technologies can either pull the rug out from under your business, or catapult it beyond your competitors.

Advances in technology come at a breakneck pace. It seems as though every day, the "next big thing" in technology is emerging in the marketplace. These advances have the potential to disrupt the way we live and the way we work.

It's critical for you to understand how these technologies will potentially alter the landscape -- particularly when it comes to human resource and workforce management -- so that you can prepare yourself and your organization for change.

Wearable Technology

Google Glass and Fitbit are two of the most recognizable and talked-about pieces of wearable tech, but they are by no means the only forms of wearable technology in the marketplace. While the main focus is currently on the consumer market, wearable technology is poised to make a deep impact in the way organizations manage a workforce.

Wearable Tech: "Big Brother" at work?

How can wearable tech affect HR? Hitachi has developed a product called "Business Microscope," a small device that employees can wear around their neck, much like an employee ID badge. Sensors on the device monitor how employees speak, move, and interact with others. It records stats such as hand gestures, steps, how close employees come to one another while communicating, and even the energy level in a worker's voice.

The device measures communication habits and energy levels, showing how they change throughout the day and under what circumstances they change. Structured staff meetings may drain a team's energy level, for example, but a short brainstorming session where all ideas are encouraged may energize employees for several hours.

This type of data can be used by the individual employee to give them insight into how and when they reach peak performance. Employers can also use the collective data to track overall energy levels and productivity among teams. They can use that information to make improvements in daily processes, giving leaders insight into the types of activities that generate the most productivity from their teams.

Wearable tech can even improve hiring processes. Team interviewing can be stressful for candidates and can cause tension among the interviewers. With a product like Google Glass, the interview could take place in a one-on-one setting, with other hiring team members watching form their computers. They could make suggestions for follow-up questions, and provide valuable insight without throwing off the rhythm of the interview.

The Cloud

The cloud may be the biggest disruptive technology of them all. Before "the cloud" became part of our everyday vernacular, it was accepted that all software had limitations. In those days, it was extremely difficult for organizations to plan for expansions, which kept processes fragmented and complicated.

Enter the cloud. Expansions and upgrades became a breeze, as server space could be purchased off-site and scaled as needed. Programs that had previously been incompatible could suddenly be integrated, helping to streamline processes and improve efficiencies across all departments, including HR.

The Cloud: Driving the virtual workforce

The cloud also helped to expand the virtual workforce. "Work" can now occur anywhere, at any time. Employees no longer have to be seated at their desk from nine to five in order to complete their daily tasks. Flextime has become a popular benefit, and employers are now able to erase geographical boundaries when making hiring decisions, opening their pool of candidates to the entire country, or even the world.

Big Data Analytics

The cloud has given companies an infinite amount of space in which to store data, and organizations of all sizes are collecting information like never before. There are hundreds of analytics providers for every industry in both the public and private sectors, helping companies organize and make sense of big data.

Big Data Analytics: Fueling HR intelligence

Big data analytics aren't limited to consumer data. Every department from customer service to marketing to payroll has access to more raw information than ever before. Human resources is experiencing a surge in analytics providers as more companies look to make data-driven decisions around human capital.

In the past, managers had to manually comb through piles of workforce and productivity data. This fragmented approach made it difficult to get a true handle on business performance. Now, there are software platforms available that will instantly offer up relevant metrics to help companies keep a real-time handle on productivity and workforce issues.

Thanks to human resources data and analytics, it is now possible for managers to receive detailed alerts in plain language regarding their teams. For example, an alert may tell a leader, "Your team has lost 26 high-performers this quarter, twice the total for last month." Managers can then see the supporting data, and even generate a report on which current employees are at risk of exiting, based on the profile of those employees who recently resigned. Having real-time access to this type of human capital data can give employers immediate insights into problem areas, allowing them to fix issues proactively, rather than trying to clean up large messes in a reactive fashion.

Hiring teams also have access to big data that allows them to make data-driven decisions throughout the recruiting process. Data can be mined from online profiles, resumes, and other sources. Hiring managers can also give candidates online tests and quizzes to help them complete data profiles. While these processes can help lighten the workload for hiring teams, many HR professionals use data as a guide, rather than the deciding factor when determining who to interview and who to hire.

Nobody knows just where technology will take us, but one thing is certain -- there is no going backwards. New developments and innovations are happening at this very moment that will help to streamline HR practices and improve workforce management. Business leaders must stay on top of tech trends so that they, and their organizations, can prepare for the next big thing.