Technology

Are You Mobile, Ready and Willing to Learn?

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To say that the power of mobile technology has changed our world, would be stating the obvious! Every single person who has a mobile device is holding a wealth of information, literally, in the palm of her or his hand.  With great power, comes great opportunity – Or does it?

Source: Purestock/Thinkstock
Source: Purestock/Thinkstock

The following article discusses how access to employee training can easily be provided through individual employee mobile devices.

Click here to read the article. 

Since the technology is already in place, it appears to be a natural step in the evolution of training methodologies to push workplace programs through mobile technology.  If employees are playing Candy Crush Saga during their ‘lunch breaks’ on their mobile devices, why not provide them with training applications and games that promote workplace knowledge at any time?

This is where the boundaries of work/life distinctions start to become blurred.  Just because the technology is able to provide the training, should employees be willing to participate?  What if the employee uses their mobile device to do work place training after working hours?  Will we need to pay for overtime?  Who owns the technology? Is the device the property of the employee or the employer? Will we need to track employee access patterns 24/7?

These questions will continue as long as technology continues to drive increasing changes into our workplaces.  Our job, as HR professionals, is to figure out how we can catch up to these changes.  We have the choice to, either shape how technology should be used or be shaped by the technology that we must use. We may not like what the later option looks like.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why would employees be resistant to workplace training through mobile devices?
  2. If you had to use your mobile device to access workplace training would you do so after ‘working hours’? If yes, why?  If no, why not?
  3. What types of training would be easiest for employees to access through mobile devices?
  4. What types of training programs do you think you would not want employees to access through mobile devices?

If Not Us, Who? If Not Now, When?

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IT and technological changes are not the wave of the future, they are the drivers of our current, present state and will continue to influence how we all work on a day-to-day basis.  This is most evident in the re-shaping of tactical Human Resource functions that can (and should be!) done more efficiently and effectively by automated systems.  Tactical functions include things like payroll processes and attendance tracking which are typically reliant on high volume effort but have very low value result.  It does not mean that these types of functions are not necessary; It does mean that a human person does not necessarily need to do them.

C3PO and R2D2 with caption "Don't technical with me"

Source: Tumblr. The above content constitutes a link to the source website

 

Does this mean we, as HR Professionals, should be concerned about our careers?

Click here to read the article

If the only value an HR department brings to an organization is one that is based on pushing processes then, of course, our positions will disappear.  However, HR should be, and is, much more than just the process pushers or the compliance police.

We need to move out of tactics and into ensuring organizational transformation through strategic leadership and people management.  The value that HR brings to any organization must be measured through strategic outcomes and big picture deliverables.  HR is the wave of the future that must lead organizations by focusing on ethical stewardship and corporate social responsibility.

So let’s not worry about losing those low value tactical functions.  This will gives us, as HR Professionals, more opportunity to build valuable organizational strength through powerful creativity and passion for the Human Resources profession.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Identify the differences in value between tactical and strategic HR functions.
  2. What does Corporate Social Responsibility mean to you?
  3. In your current work environment, identify three processes that should be automated through the use of technology and the resulting impact of those changes.
  4. Identify three specific strategic functions that HR should be doing in order to be perceived as bringing value to the organization.