Role of an HR in Agile and Automated World

Agile Methodologies and Automation

It is an undisputed fact that everything in the world is getting automated.  We all know that automation is nothing but a technique of making a process or a system operate automatically. Wherever we see we find that the business landscape is completely dominated by Agile Methodologies and Automation on a large scale.

These changes in organizations have implications for all functions including human resources.  We’ve also noticed that most HR practitioners are welcoming the integration of agile and automation into their workplace. For example, Accenture has automated the initial screening process and also Google for that matter.

Before we proceed further, let us understand what is Agile Methodology and its impact on the organizations.

Agile is the ability to create and to respond to change. It is a system that mixes all function roles into a single team. Agile focuses on enabling teams to deliver work in small, workable increments, thus delivering value to their customer with ease. And Automation refers to the use of electric or mechanized processes to perform work without or with reduced intervention by humans.

Let us see how the various HR Functions benefit from the Agile Process:

Recruiting:

This is definitely one of the major functions of the HR department. Recruitment influences how a company can perform. We need to find the right candidate for the required role and it sometimes is also regarded as mundane. As sourcing resumes consumes a lot of time and hence few of the organizations started using AI to cherry-pick suitable resumes using online portals. This allows the human effort to be saved for the later tasks which require judgement calls.

Performance Management:

HR teams play a major role in managing and maintaining the performance of the team. From activities such as appraisals, leave management, timesheet tracking, event planning etc there are many tasks that requires a lot of effort. Automating these processes with effective usage of HR software can ensure efficiency. HR software is one of the emerging processes in the market that is helping the organization save time and bring in a lot of efficiency in minute tasks.

Onboarding and Off boarding:

Any organization has to deal with multiple onboarding and offboarding formalities almost every month. A large part of this is repetitive and predictable. When we hire an employee, it is essential to coordinate the activities that need to be carried out across various departments to provide a seamless experience to the employee. With the help of HR software, it allows us to automate the onboarding process and can also create new employee records at the touch of a button.

 During this pandemic, we have seen instances wherein the induction programs have been arranged and also various training materials along with their IT equipment has been sent to their welcome email on their day 1 itself. The exit interview process can be automated by archiving and storing records, creating template letters and also generating unbiased feedback anonymously which would further help in the development of a better workplace and environment.

Payroll Management:

The payroll process is critical for any business that wishes to retain competent teams and vendors. Automation can help these processes function seamlessly. The emerging HR software for this payroll management includes HRM, Payroll management system is a software that is used to manage employees’ financial records, compensation management system helps to organize plan and administer employee compensation packages. Likewise, there are many HR software systems coming up for smooth functioning for the benefits of the employees.

HR Analytics:

HR analytics is a data-driven method of improving decisions that impact HR functions. It is the collection and application of talent data to improve critical talent and business outcomes. HR analytics enables strategic decision making that can drive business solutions through improving engagement, productivity and retention.HR software features powerful analytics capabilities that facilitate valuable insights.

In a nutshell if we have to categorize the types of HR software there are 3 types:

HRIS: can be used for applicant tracking, leave management, timesheet management, reporting, Core HR, Employee self-service etc.

HRIS+:  can be used for Employee onboarding, attendance management, succession planning, analytics etc.

HCM+: can be used for payroll management, benefits management, compensation management, etc.

The benefits of automating HR management include:

• Better productivity
• Greater insights
• Effective Record Management
• Seamless streamlined efficient processes

To conclude we can say that HR software can offer a dramatic benefit to businesses of all shapes and sizes. It can be time-saving, provides better efficiency and helps in the overall growth of an organization. However, automation and agility are never the ultimate solution. We definitely need manpower to manage this efficiently. Bringing agility to the HR world is like icing on the cake. We require a lot of human effort behind this and the main purpose of the human resources department is to address human needs. It is called human resources for a reason.

It is not just the name that handles the people stuff but it is the fuel that runs the entire organization. The human Resource department strikes a perfect balance in any organization. They are responsible for the defining and designing of work.  Automation can bring a certain shape to the workplace but it can never take over the place of any “human”. It curtails human interaction. HRs are considered people-centric. They are the impact creators of any employees. From staffing of people to exiting them employees require an interaction. Proper interaction is always essential in order to know the wants and needs of any organization.  Assessment of attitude towards the job, work ethics, willingness to learn, strengthens, weaknesses can be determined by a human resource professional. No business can survive without a competent HR department. According to my striking of balance is very important, we need to balance automation along with the human resource in order to run the organization successfully.