'As HR professionals, we must be better than that'

There’s been a lot of thinking about HR technology and the future of work; now the ‘doing’ has really started, according to James Hancock, business director at mwah. Making Work Absolutely Human.

Indeed, it feels like there’s a growing convergence of workplace trends (flexibility, sharing /gig economy and the flow-on to workplace settings) with the development of technology to support and enhance these trends, Hancock told HRD.

“Instead of shaping HR technology based on existing legacy HR processes and policies, there is now an improved consideration to challenge and redesign the way things have been done and for the technology to match - and it’s about time,” he added.

“Coming in and out of the HR profession in my career, I’ve felt a shifting yet measured mindset change in HR from protection and perfection, towards more nimble ways of doing things e.g. test and learn, fail fast.

“In technology, this has been the way for a long time and in broader business contexts it is also not new – but this alignment is powerful.”

Hancock will be speaking at the upcoming HR Tech Summit in Sydney in September on the topic The next big thing – emerging HR technology and the future of work.

So why is this topic so important for HR professionals?

“For me, it is a no-brainer - technology is changing, disrupting and in places killing roles, organisations and industries,” said Hancock.

“Depending on where we look, we may applaud, pause, scorn or mourn the outcomes, but as HR professionals our job is to help shape and guide organisations and individuals with resiliency towards the future.”

In particular, there is one piece of advice that Hancock would offer HR professionals relating to technology and the future of work.

“The future cannot be predicted, but that doesn’t mean we should sit, wait and respond to what happens,” said Hancock.

“As HR professionals, we must be better than that – constantly seeking ideas, information and knowledge.”

Hancock added that HR professionals shouldn’t profess to be experts on everything, but each day they should be ready to challenge their whole organisation – not just leaders – to move beyond talk about the future of work to really set practical ways to get there.

Hancock will be speaking at the HR Tech Summit in Sydney in September.