How Advanced Technologies are going to shape HR in 2024

I went to the Mumbai airport. There was a huge queue. However, it took me only two minutes to enter the airport because I registered myself on Digi Yatra. I did not have to show my ticket or my identity proof. The camera scanned my face and opened the gates. That’s when I realized that when you adopt technologies early, things become faster for you.

This brings us to another interesting point. The government can use face recognition and stitch the whole process of entry to a secure airport. What is stopping organizations from using similar solutions? Is it awareness or inertia? Many such advanced technologies are being consumed in public spaces that they don’t even sound advanced anymore.

Which are the Advanced Technologies?

The advanced technologies have been as quiet as CLAMS and have been gaining ground slowly and steadily. These technologies are…

1. Cloud Computing – Cloud has been around since 1963. It got its name from Andy Hertzfeld in 1994. It became quite popular during Covid. The cloud means a central infrastructure (Big Computer) that can be accessed by multiple users from anywhere using the internet. According to an EY report, nearly 63% of Indian organizations use cloud services.
2. Artificial Intelligence – AI was founded at a workshop at Dartmouth College in 1956. Generative AI (ChatGPT) and IoT devices have made AI popular. AI is a simulation of human intelligence by machines. As per PwC, 54% of Indian companies have implemented AI for their business functions.
3. Low Code Platforms – The word Low code platforms was first coined in 2011. These platforms are used for building custom apps without using coding. 77% of organizations are using Low code platforms in India. It is estimated that 64% of the development will be done on low-code platforms in 2024.
4. Mobile – Mobile was introduced by Motorola in 1973. It became smart in the 1990s and was popularized in the late 2000s after the Apple iPhone launch. In 2022, 1.43 million smartphones were shipped.
5. Security (Blockchain) – Blockchain was invented in 1991. It has become popular after the cryptocurrency. Blockchain is a shared ledger for recording transactions and tracking assets. As per Zippia, 81 of the top 100 publicly traded companies use blockchain.

Let’s understand how these technologies can help HR.

Advanced Technologies in HR

Several organizations have adopted these technologies and will be the front runners in the HR space in 2024. Seven HR use cases are CRUSHED by the frontrunners. These HR use cases of advanced technologies which will be adopted by many in 2024 are…

1. Competency-based Hiring- Generative AI has given an advantage to the candidates to become smarter and beat the assessment tests for selection. Organizations are finding new ways to find the right candidates. One of the ways is to use the AI capability to identify the competencies of existing high performers and find candidates similar to them. AI can search for the right candidates based on competencies. It can also screen, rank, and recommend candidates for hiring. Apart from that, AI can also help in fixing proxy hiring issues using face recognition at different stages of recruitment.

2. Remote or Hybrid Working- Remote and Hybrid working comes with its challenges of compliance. The compliance challenges include employees working outside the country creating taxation issues. Another challenge is employees working with multiple organizations simultaneously. Advanced technologies are fixing the issues to make remote and hybrid work more reliable. The cloud, collaboration, work management, and performance monitoring systems are further supporting remote work.

3. Upskilling- As the environment is changing faster, upskilling has become a dire need. It is an uphill task to upskill the distributed workforce. AI and the cloud have made it possible. AI can identify the skill gaps and recommend courses for people to upskill themselves. The cloud can deliver courses anywhere.

4. Single window- As per Sapient, an average company uses 16 HR applications. An employee uses 6-8 applications to perform their duties. There is an increasing need to make the life of employees simple and provide them with a single window on their mobile phones. Low-code platforms contribute here.

5. Health and Wellness- The advent of IoT devices has given a huge boost to Health and Wellness activities. This has also caught the imagination of employees to remain fit.

6. Employment Models- New employment models are emerging with the change in the economy. The gig working platforms are at the advent. They are supporting traditional organizations to convert part of their permanent workforce to gigs. All the advanced technologies contribute to the success of these platforms.

7. Data-Driven Decision Making- Analytics has significantly improved its capabilities. Now unstructured data can also be analyzed in a couple of hours. This gives a huge opportunity to HR to leverage the insights captured during employee discussions to find the underlying issues and sense the pulse of the organization.