Like a lot of articles on digital transformation of the Human Resources (HR) or the Human Capital Management (HCM) department, the one below does not say a lot.
Digital transformation is talked about being about "tools", like a new HR system, or a system to management talent or a system to manage recruitment. Tools change nothing. They might computerise a process, but the process is pretty much the process.
I've been involved in HR transformation for 25 years and while a new computer system will strip out some cost, stream line some processes it's not transformational. The very fact I've been involved in that market for 25 years, shows that people have been doing this pre-internet, pre-social media and pre-mobile. People have been looking to computerise HR for 25 years, it just isn't new.
The other suggestion for digital transformation of human resources (HR) is to take the existing processes and bolt on some new stuff.
Self-service is a great example of this. Let's bolt on a website so that people have to update their own HR details, or update their own time sheet, or apply for a job through a dedicated website. Again, you will get some efficiency gains, the problem with websites are that they push you away from your customer, the employees or the job applicant.
Human Resources has become more distant, more isolated and more "ivory tower" according to the employees. At my last company they even had a Human Resources floor ... so in a totally glass office you could see who was being hired or fired. There was no other reason for you to be on that floor.
Look at Recruitment. Let's use social such as Twitter to put out job ads. Or LinkedIn to advertise the jobs.
This is no different to advertising jobs in the newspaper we have just shifted the media from newspaper to the internet.
Here at Digital Leadership Associates (DLA) www.dlaignite.com we have completely rethought Human Resources for the Digital age, using social media.
It's not a tool or a piece of software, it's a process.
It was our idea when we started DLA that social media will change the world and it has. We re-imagined sales and now we are moving onto Human Resources.
(If you have another department you want transformed to social then get in touch, we are currently looking for input into our development process.)
It's bold move, but Adam, Alex and I want to change the world and want to make a difference and by reimagining the corporation, we are doing just that!
Organizations globally are adopting digital transformation initiatives in order to remain competitive. HR and rewards departments are no exception as a digital-first approach offers strategic value across HR functions.
