HR Professionals Play a Key Role in Technology Strategy

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Certainly one of my first roles in HR involved technology. The corporate I worked for had their very own proprietary human resources information system (HRIS). When system users (aka the HR team) had requests to vary the system, they might send their suggestions / ideas to me. I’d collect them and forward them to the technology department. When a request was accomplished, I’d test it and help with the implementation communications. 

In fact, lots has happened in each HR and the technology world since then, but one thing remains to be vital – HR must play a key role in the corporate’s technology strategy. Today’s business world relies on technology, which suggests that employees are depending on technology to get their work done. 

Even if you happen to don’t use a pc day by day, it’s likely that you simply use a sensible phone to speak along with your boss or coworkers. You may also track your working hours via an app. Possibly the work you complete is entered right into a software program so others can plan and organize customer touchpoints. You get the thought. Technology is increasingly a component of our skilled lives. 

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) recently partnered with the California Institute of Technology (CalTech) to create a credential program for human resources professionals. It’s called the SHRM CalTech Advanced Technology Credential. 

SHRM gave me the chance to preview this program and share my takeaways with you. Before I talk in regards to the program content, let me inform you a number of logistical details. This system is online and self-paced. It takes about 20 – 24 hours to hearken to all of the content. You possibly can earn as much as 24 SHRM skilled development credits (PDCs). 

The content is presented in five sections:

1. Cybersecurity Fundamentals
2. Cloud Computing
3. Systems Considering
4. Artificial Intelligence
5. Data Analytics

There’s also a sixth optional section on virtual and augmented reality, which may be very interesting and value trying out. 

Each section is led by a CalTech faculty member or material expert (SME) who brings each theory and practical application to the fabric. At the top of every session, you’re asked to reply a few questions. Then at the top of this system, you’re asked to reply a few dozen questions. 

In case you’ve taken a credentialing exam before, then you definitely’re probably used to a proper proctored experience with plenty of exam questions. This program is just not like that. It’s more casual with the concentrate on the session content. 

Speaking of the session content, I believed this program did an ideal job of balancing technology fundamentals with strategic considerations. For instance, within the cloud computing section, the presenter discussed the several models (SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS) and the way they’re getting used in organizations. As HR professionals, that is information we must always know now and in the longer term. It impacts our technology strategy and decision making.

One other example was in the ultimate (optional) session where the presenter shared the differences between virtual reality, augmented reality, prolonged reality, and the metaverse. Then, they connected these concepts to worker training and the way organizations are using technology to simulate learning environments. While some corporations won’t be fascinated with this right away, with access to VR headsets becoming more mainstream, it won’t be as distant as we predict.  

I’ve said before that employees expect their technology experience at work to be just like the technology experience they’ve at home. This implies organizations must take into consideration what the longer term worker technology experience will seem like. The time to get educated about these concepts is now. And since it is a self-paced program, you’re not in a rush to finish it. I accomplished a piece each week. 

Organizations must have a technology strategy. They need one for purchasers, which suggests they need one for workers. HR professionals should play a key role in developing the worker technology strategy. I believed the SHRM CalTech Advanced Technology Credential provided a very good refresher on technology fundamentals and beneficial insights to contemplate for the longer term. 

I do know there’s lots of discuss keeping the human in human resources. Knowing technology isn’t about removing the human part. Knowing technology is about making a work environment where technology does what it does best. That way, the remaining of our time is spent specializing in the human part.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby on the SHRM Annual Conference in Las Vegas, NV. SHRM logo used with permission.

The post HR Professionals Play a Key Role in Technology Strategy appeared first on hr bartender.