3 tips for adopting new HR tech with a people-first approach

The pandemic changed the world of work forever. There's no better example than the meteoric rise in HR tech options. HR tech has grown from a small side component to a $148 billion market of tech solutions ready to help build the future of work. Employers and employees alike are looking to emerging tech to transform and optimize the work experience. And it doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. According to Sierra-Cedar, 52% of large organizations plan to increase spending on HR tech in the next year.

The benefit of all this expansion is that HR departments can now gain access to laser-focused insights that can help identify pain points and offer a breadth of data on everything from payroll to yearly reviews. It can be easy to focus on acquiring tools that touch on every possible metric. However, getting too focused on growing and maintaining your tech stack without having a strategy that considers the people who use it can make all of your investment in work tech feel moot. Below I'll outline a few ways to help you make the most out of your HR tech without forgetting about the people who will be using it day to day. 

Tip No.1: Do more than buy tools; build strategies.

It feels like there is endless potential when it comes to tools. Everywhere you turn, there’s a specialized application to help you drill down on specific metrics around employee engagement, payroll, and more. While the excitement and need for HR tech remain essential for supporting agile and resilient workforces, the influx of new tech and systems doesn't come without pain points for the people who use them.

Toggling between multiple tools to glean unique insights can be exhausting for your team and not as helpful as anticipated. There's also all the staffing needed to maintain your tech stack properly. 

That's why it's essential to go beyond investing in tech tools and build a strategy for integrating these tools into your team's daily processes. Engaging with your team and planning around your organization's priorities and mission can help streamline the way your team uses tech and empower them to make strategic, forward-thinking recommendations. 

Tip No. 2: Take the time to train key team members

This next tip builds off of tip No. 1. For your team to feel confident using your work tech, you need to ensure everyone is trained and onboarded correctly. In your excitement over a new investment, you may be inclined to breeze through the onboarding process and dive straight into configuration. But remember your users, and don't be afraid to take things slow. Spend time reviewing onboarding files, connecting with other platform users, asking questions, and developing a thoughtful rollout for other key users on your team. 

By fully understanding how to use your new tech to achieve business outcomes, you can ensure that you and your team are set up for success. In addition to proper technical training, it's also good to remind your team not to become too dependent on the data alone. Encourage them to remember that while data is vital, it ultimately takes experience and collaboration to know what recommendations will provide the most value.

Tip No. 3: Transparency is key

Every company is working to improve its transparency and communication. Imagine the positive impact if that were automatic through technology. However, technology on its own isn't enough. Just like in configuration and training, you should take the human element into account.

If companies want to improve engagement, they need to increase access to relevant data for their employees. It's essential to have systems with robust access permissions to ensure that secure information stays secure while still providing your whole team with the context they need to succeed. 

For example, 80% of employees report feeling frustrated at work when they can't get key information. HR teams are often primary sources for answers to questions like: 

• How many people are currently on the engineering team?
• I just opened a new position for a marketing manager; what is our compensation range for that role?
• Can you send me a copy of my last performance review?  

Centralizing and increasing access to crucial workplace information not only saves time, but also boosts morale and increases productivity. Making the correct data accessible to the right team members can improve efficiencies for you and your entire organization. From sharing compensation ranges to copies of performance reviews, making data easier to use makes work easier for everyone.

People appreciate a people-first approach. 

The past year has seen HR teams and organizations everywhere plan, adapt, and work through change. Work tech has been and will continue to be a massive part of that. It's important to remember that as organizations adopt more and more technology, data is nothing without empowered people who can put it to work in a meaningful and insightful way.