For a moment, consider a world where the process of recruiting a new employee was followed in days just by going through piles of paper resumes, where the interview sessions were daily held in a poorly lit conference room, and where the process of collecting feedback from the employees presupposes distributing and then collecting the paper feedback forms. This was the state of the Human Resources (HR) industry not so long ago. Leaping forward to the present, there are great opportunities for change that have arisen through the magical phenomenon of the internet.
The internet has not merely altered the margins of employing some techniques in HR; on the contrary, it has overhauled the conventional methods in modern society with more effective and creative ones. Right from the point of application of jobs up to the performance management and training and development of employees, the Internet has become an integral part of HR functions. It has removed the geography factor into play and created a global talent pool. It has equipped the head of HR with tools and technologies that were only dreams in the past.
The Advancement of Staff Training in the Digital Era
The usage of the internet means free access to knowledge so that the process of lifelong learning and professional development is now more open and available than before. This shift has greatly influenced the way through which organizations approach the training of their employees.
Courses on such platforms as Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning are vast, allowing employees to learn on their timetable. These platforms allow work and learning to be done simultaneously, which is the flexibility that the employees need. They can also develop and set up specific training that would cater to their business organizational requirements.
Also worth to note, the internet has made it easy to organize and participate in webinars and online workshops. These virtual events help the employees listen and learn from professional trainers and also other employees around the globe leading to the creation of a culture of knowledge sharing. This means that a well-experienced human resources consultant can now quickly disseminate their knowledge and experiences through these technological instruments to numerous firms across the world. On the other hand, technologies like Virtual and Augmented Reality are on the verge of transforming the method of employee training. For instance, using VR in the healthcare sector helps in the training of employees for various tasks and procedures without the possibility of potential mistakes and damage.
Reach the Talented Easily
Gaining employees was once a time-consuming process that included the help of newspapers, job fairs, and people around.
Today, internationally focused sites such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor, to name a few, have changed the manner employers and employees interact with each other; not only have geographical barriers been taken down, but also diversity and inclusion.
Also, social media platforms are now considered to be critical in the process of recruitment. Not only do they post job listings, but they also seek out potential applicants and can provide information that resumes do not contain.
And last, but not least – artificial intelligence is considered magic in the current digital era. AI has helped in recruitment by quickly sorting through thousands of resumes and identifying who is a better candidate out of all the others. Recruiting bots have become a common way of responding to candidates, freeing the time of HR specialists for more important, strategic activities.
Redefining the Concept of Performance Management
Performance management has greatly changed with the advent of the internet, from the traditional annual appraisals to real-time feedback and information.
Technology specifically emphasizes constant feedback and can make employees receive immediate feedback from peers, subordinates, or managers. It also helps to focus more on performance and ways of evaluating it, avoiding a one-time-per-year check.
Further, the internet has created a data revolution in HR, providing modern tools for assessing the employee’s performance, engagement, and turnover rate. This way, the data acquired through analytics enables the members of the HR profession to inventory the future necessities and, in like manner, make appropriate decisions. For example, it can warn about employees who may leave the company and will help in preserving high turnover rates.
However, day-to-day activities have increased the use of the internet and remote working, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Employers in human resource departments use software solutions to monitor the performance of remote employees and coordinate projects and team-building activities online. They make sure that employees working from home do not get bored or slack off and can effectively communicate with other employees.
Overcoming Obstacles While Accepting Future Innovations
Forcing the point, the internet has completely changed the face of the HR industry; yet, it has also introduced certain problems, or more precisely, risks, among which the main ones can be considered the questions of confidentiality and protection of personal data. A critical issue that has emerged in managing employees’ data is the protection of such information from likely exposure and misapplication.
Another challenge that comes with the position of HR professional is the need to adapt to the current increasing technological innovations. It is necessary to be consequently unceasing in learning new tools and be adaptable to new trends.
As for the future, the internet already shows indications of reshaping human resource management in a rather fascinating way. New technologies currently include blockchain, which promises to bring efficiency and increased security to the processes HR specializes in.
One can state that the further development of the idea of innovation and its synthesis with the human approach. When technology is used effectively and sustainably and with social ingenuity by the HR departments, organizations can be guided toward a flexible, diverse, and successful future.
The Internet as a tool has played a significant role in enhancing numerous aspects of the field of HR. To encourage high-performance working environments, human values, and technological progress will be the focus area. Human resource managers therefore play a critical first-line role in the management of these changes for the improved engagement of employees and the performance of organizations in the current digital reality.
