The pace of innovation and disruption in HR in the 21st century is both mind-boggling and beautiful. Companies are investing in their employees like never before through social, mobile, cloud and data driven processes, just as they would on potential consumers. The payoff: a compelling employee experience that is not just smart, digital and real-time, but memorable, enriching and satisfying.
Today, the role of HR is a far cry from the traditional hum-and-nod department to an advisor on change. Its biggest contribution to the boardroom lies in unifying the company’s vision with its employees. Applying disruptive practices in HR to meet business development goals helps companies and employees exploit mutual synergies for wider possibilities.
Propay Partners maintains an E-HR system which is cloud-based and enables employees to stay connected round the clock via all digital platforms. Mobile employees can check in to their HR services to access information, download payslips and verify tax compliance anywhere in ASEAN.
AON, a global professional services firm, predicts that by year 2019, 100% of all HR processes will be mobile, while 80% of all people decisions will be analytics-based. Analyses at AON go on to reiterate that speed, individual tailoring and contimuous innovation will be the mainstay as disruption will continue to come quicker than ever.
Gen Y and Z are looking at companies to co-create their digital experiences similar to their social and online lives. While that is a given, they also lookout for empowerment, mobility and learning opportunities within their workspace. “They are assertive, responsive, bold and drawn to companies that value them, not ones set on brutal-profitmaking,” pointed out Khanduja.
Furthermore, it’s imperative to sync HR transformation to digital disruptions that have a wider impact on the market. “Nike’s digital foray three years ago brought mixed responses from its development team. The company was soon forced to discontinue operations due to lack of synergy. This is a classic case of people transformation not matching product transformation,” added Khanduja.
Employees at the New-Zealand based dairy products giant are encouraged to go off work for a period of three months to come up with innovate ideas that can be pitched to a senior leadership panel. This 10 day-challenge includes testing business model, supply chain and procurement.
Fonterra’s last incubation hub saw seven teams from the APAC region competing against each other.
Shell Malaysia, offers a similar innovation space within their ramparts in their sprawling campus in Kuala Lumpur. P. Raj Kumar, Managing Partner, IRC Global Executive Search Partners/CnetG Asia and panel moderator noted that Shell’s division, called New Ventures, principally focuses on inviting startups to occupy their space at no cost whatsoever. “Innovation can never happen if you allow your team to operate in the normal way. Shell’s mantra of ‘you develop, we will invest’ is a key factor that encourages disruption,” he said.
No matter the size of the company, highly integrated practices can ensure systemic innovation, if it is backed by a supportive leadership. Encouraging employees to think like innovators can transform products or services into profitable breakthroughs.
Insights by Propay Partners.