HR Technology Trends In The Workplace In 2015

Technology and the HR function. Not always comfortable bedfellows. Looking ahead, what will be the major technology trends and challenges facing the HR profession in 2015?

Last year, the HR technology buyer began to really get in touch with their end users and look for technology designed to support people, not just processes, says Steve Parker, head of business transformation at Achievers. “This meant moving away from the outdated but consolidated offerings that employees, managers, and executives used only when they had to such as HR “self-service” to providing tools that people used because they want to – technology designed to engage and help people be more productive.”

Parker argues that there are two major HR technology trends that will emerge in 2015. They are:

Technology will provide transparency. Whether we like it or not, employees will be taking a page from the Yelps and Trip Advisors of the world and will rely on using tools like Glassdoor and social media to describe and evaluate their companies’ true employment brand. With today’s social-enabled consumer technologies, disengaged or disgruntled employees, like customers, can immediately express their dissatisfaction, and prospective employees and customers can immediately see what those disengaged employees have to say. But it works the other way too, which means positive feedback can be shared just as easily. In 2015, HR will start embracing technology that creates this transparency and fosters an open culture where employees can easily recognize and communicate the great things that happen every day in organizations

Technology will finally help us do something about this disengagement problem. Disengaged employees cost the US economy $500 billion per year in lost productivity. And let’s face it, we spend more effort and resources measuring engagement than we do doing something about it. That’s about to change. While the tools for measuring personal attributes or capabilities have been around for a while, solutions that help organizations create—not just measure—an amazing environment will come into their own in 2015. We’ve all seen awesome employees get swallowed up by bad companies or bad bosses, so organizations serious about increasing their performance will begin to focus more on taking action on employee engagement by providing people with tools to connect across functions, catch others in the act of doing things right, and stay aligned to what’s most important.

Technology can aid the workplace and the HR function but it will also provide a potential headache for HR teams and boardrooms in 2015 as organizations grabble with the need to embed new technology at the speed their employees are demanding, according to Tim Payne, a partner in KPMG’s People Powered Performance Team TISI -1.43%. He believes that this will result in workplaces where the generational divide may become increasingly difficult to handle.

“The digital divide that separates generations in the home will gradually creep into the workplace next year, as organisations adopt new technologies to stay ahead of the competition,” claims Payne. “On the face of it new technology sounds like a good idea, but the challenge will be whether organisations can adopt new technologies quickly enough to satisfy employee need whilst ensuring everyone is able to get the most out of it. Failure to do so may create conflict in the workplace with some people feeling empowered and others left behind.”

Source- http://www.forbes.com/sites/karenhigginbottom/2015/01/06/hr-technology-trends-in-the-workplace-in-2015/

Handling Workplace Conflict - Myths and Reality

Workplace conflict is much more common than you probably think. Yet, it is nothing to be ashamed of or swept under a rug. To truly understand workplace conflict, you need to understand some basic facts about the myths and reality of workplace conflict. The myths about workplace conflict are:

1. It is not nice to have conflict. This idea is ingrained in our psyche. From childhood, you are taught that it is not nice to have conflict and you should always put a smiling face on it. Therefore, it is simply wrong to have conflict.


2. Conflicts will resolve themselves over time, so there is no need for me to get involved. This is one of the more common approaches taken by managers. It’s a hands-off approach to dealing with conflict.


3. A true team would never have any conflict. When true team spirit prevails, there would be no conflict or even a chance for it. All is sweetness and light in a good team.

……. And now for the reality:

1. It is not nice to have conflict - If it is not nice to have conflict, is it better to grind your teeth and suffer in silence? You get to be the nice guy, but you are probably heading towards a major meltdown.


2. Conflicts will resolve themselves over time, so there is no need for me to get involved - This is probably one of the most common myths about conflict and one that produces disastrous results. If a manager fails to address workplace conflict head-on will find themselves dealing with a much bigger problem in the future. Most conflicts that involve minor disagreements or matters that are trivial tend to resolve and work themselves out over time. Larger disagreements or conflicts tend not go away without some type of intervention.


3. A true team would never have any conflict - A team without conflict is one where the team members have nothing of value to contribute and no passion for their job. It is a group working according to the direction of the leader and with no scope for any creative ideas to emerge.

You should realize that conflict is inevitable and working out a solution is the major task of the manager. One of the main keys to handling workplace conflict is to stay focused on the problems and not the personalities of the individuals involved in the conflict. A good way to avoid dealing with larger conflicts later is to confront them in the early stages.

By Myron Curry