HR tech trends for 2020 and beyond

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Phew. What a decade. Thank goodness that’s over. Flexible working, the gig economy and an explosion of HR tech solutions have left many human resources practitioners scrambling to make sense of a fast-changing and tech-driven workplace.

But hang on to your hats. HR tech is likely to be even more relevant – and just as challenging – in the 2020s. Here are some tech trends to watch out for.

Remote or virtual workplace technologies

Despite the burgeoning popularity of flexible working, there is still ample room for related technologies to grow.

“There are already several solutions to address the challenges remote workforces present for organisations. Everything from collaborative workspaces to virtual office spaces,” says Emily Fritz, at employer brand specialist firm Exaqueo.

Fritz added that the sector is still in its infancy, and that the next 10 years will see a race for businesses to develop solutions to cater for the boom in the number of remote workers.

The rise of the health and wellbeing market

“Most of the big healthcare providers are pouring money into new AI-based automated tools, and these can be mixed and matched to fit any workforce in the world. Wellbeing platforms can bring these applications together and create real behavior change for your workforce,” observes analyst Josh Bersin.

Tools for mental and emotional health, stress reduction, physical fitness, diet, and financial wellbeing are beginning to proliferate.

“This is a market I don’t think existed ten years ago. Today this is a true segment of the tech market and HR and people teams should understand what’s available, because these are critical issues for the company brand,” he adds.

Digital ethics

HR will play a significant role in the ethical introduction of automated technology, such as if an employee needs to be redeployed due to the influence of AI.

Increased use of people analytics for actionable insights

HR will need to enhance their use and grasp of analytics – such as running experiments and influencing business strategies that boost the organisation’s bottom line.

According to a recent report, The Changing Face of HR, just 42% of companies are using data to drive HR decision-making – so there remains much to do.

Device fatigue

The average person checks their smartphone every 12 minutes and receives over 60 phone notifications a day. It’s hardly surprising that device fatigue is on the rise.

“With screen-time under scrutiny for its negative impact on our health, I think we will see more technologies adjust to address the health and wellness concerns centred around device fatigue,” says Fritz from Exaqueo.

Fritz alluded to Instagram’s recent decision to remove ‘likes’ from people’s posts as an example of technology – in this case social media – becoming more economical with the number and type of notifications they display.

Parts of this article first appeared on the Sage website.