hr tech trends: think real time!
TRANSCRIPT
Trends in HR Tech 2015: Think RealTime!blog.impraise.com /trendsinhrtech2015tuneinforrealtime/
You might have seen the word “realtime” quite a bit recently. Some talk about realtime apps. Othersclaim to do realtime marketing. Not to mention realtime analytics, which sounds a lot like a headache.So, What is the buzz? Can realtime apps make new effective HR tools as many predicted?
I think they can make a real difference if you use them right. Let me start with the technology behindthe buzz and the good it can bring. Then we can discuss realtime feedback apps and their potentialimpacts on Employee Engagement.
RealTime Technology
Realtime technology is the sending and receiving of data “as it happens” in real life. Information issent and presented in milliseconds. ¼ second is considered the threshold.
Realtime apps are applications that functions within the realtime frame.
Realtime marketing involves responding to realtime data (e.g.consumer Web interactions) andinfluencing behaviours.
Realtime analytics is to use, or the capacity to use, all available enterprise data and resources, whenthey are needed. But let’s not get into too complicated stuff right now.
A good way to understand the concept of realtime is to look at some examples.
You get an instant notification when someone sends you a message on Slack, a messaging app.Slack uses realtime technology. You can call it a realtime app.
You order a taxi using Uber. You can see your taxi moving on that map (provided in the app) as itphysically moves towards your front door. The location is updated in realtime.
As you can see from these examples, realtime technology has sped up communication process to theminute. It can bring a great impact on peertopeer collaboration, one central issue in today's HR.Generally, the values that realtime tools can contribute to HR processes come from the instantlyupdated data and the ability to act immediately.
Realtime data
You receive information as things happen. All updates on your HR issues can be sent to you withinminutes. For example, your company hires some hourly contractors. With a realtime tracking app, youreceive notifications the second they log in and log out. Timesheet can be automatically updated to thesecond. If you like, you can check how much your company is paying for those contractors at any pointduring the day, and whether you go over your budget.
Moreover, you can quickly test out new ideas through a crowdsourcing system. The system allowsusers to vote up or vote down on certain ideas. You can immediately get feedback if people like thoseideas or not. For example, you have two alternatives for a teambuilding outing (say, basketball vs.bowling). Votes from all employees show you the more popular one. The result thus helps you to makea decision. Of course, the impact of crowdsourcing spreads further than entertainment. However, youcan see the potential of crowdsourcing in solving HR issues, right?
Realtime updates are associated with specific points in a timeline. You can spot trends by gatheringupdates and starting to analyse them. Let's say your colleague had a meeting and you gave him directfeedback after that meeting. Next week he is holding a meeting again, you will give feedback again. Hewill be able to compare the two, see if there are improvements or drops in the skills involved. He thencan take action accordingly. With realtime systems, there is no limit to the amount of information youcan get over time. There is a high possibility to spot trends, and quickly make an impact.
The ability to act in realtime
Thanks to realtime updates, you have a chance to resolve issues before they escalate. If the latestpulse survey shows low morale regarding teamwork, you know some team building activities are duesoon. You can start planning them right away.
The impact does not stop at crisis management only. Timely praise is highly appreciated. Instantrecognition of one’s success is super motivational. For example, your system sends you a pushnotification the second one of your customer support staff finishes helping his 100th customer since hisday starts. You send him positive feedback on Impraise to show your appreciation. He is notified of thefeedback immediately. The whole process takes up to one minute. How does that sound to you?
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Realtime Applications and
the potential impact on Employee Engagement
If you are worrying about engagement among your employees, you are not alone. Bersin by Deloitte’sresearch shows that employee engagement is the number two concern in HR leaders’ mind (followingleadership). So, What can you do? Which new year’s resolution will help you increase your employeeengagement?
First of all, you need to rethink the issue of Employee Engagement. Josh Bersin considers that thedays of the annual engagement survey are slowly coming to an end. A more holistic, integrated, andrealtime approach is needed to drive high levels of employee commitment and passion. He points outthat if companies want to keep their employees engaged, they need to become the organization thatpeople love to work at.
Holistic changes from the management style to the working environment may be necessary in order toget there.
Generation Y much prefers to work where they can also grow personally. They tend to appreciate morecoaching and less managing from their managers. Peertopeer coaching is also favoured. Forexample, Impraise users directly give feedback to their colleagues and make an impact to theircolleagues’ development. Besides, managers have to actively take initiatives to build up a feedbackculture. Good habits make the part of a strong culture, which pulls in the best talent and retains them.
A company culture and its core values are significant factors to increase engagement and commitmentlevels. People are engaged if they find the job fits their skills. They are committed if they find thecompany values match their own.
Impraise enables realtime feedback on the company’s core values. It reflects how employees are inline with the core values. It’s a great tool for companies to strengthen the culture.
What do you do as HR manager
First of all, you can get HR tools with a realtime mechanism if you see their values.
When you do get them, you should definitely consider the context where the mechanism exists also inreallife. For example, feedback sharing is more effective if it’s connected to a specific event. Feedbackreceived right after completing a task makes a stronger impact that one received after a month or half ayear.
Finally, you should think in longterm. Realtime data provides you with valuable insight into the currentstatus of your HR issues. You however should not underestimate the value of “overtime” data the datayou collect over a certain time period, a couple of days, a week or a month. Use longterm data to workout the tendencies and plan ahead. People have good days and bad days. When it comes toengagement and performance, it is natural to have low points and high points. Don’t make decision
based on a onetime low engagement of one employee. Look at the tendency over time.
In brief, HR systems are becoming more realtime because the mechanism has significant benefits fordifferent processes. Peertopeer collaboration and employee engagement are the two examples. Realtime systems provide you with instant updates. You can act quickly upon situations that needimmediate attention. Besides, you have the ability to see a tendency develops, so you can act morewisely as well.