One of the most disrupted functions in the post-pandemic world is Human Resources. As workforces worldwide underwent a paradigm shift in how they engaged, HR teams had to reimagine their framework. Digital transformation, automation, remote work and work-life alignment are some of the new realities redefining HR agendas. The recent "Industry Knowledge Exchange Conclave: HR Digitalisation" hosted by CNBCTV18.com powered by SAP brought together thought leaders from the HR world to discuss key trends and shifts that will impact how we work. Here are some of the significant takeaways of the insightful conversation led by CNBC TV18's Reema Tendulkar.  

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Pivoting to Agile Systems

The pandemic, one of the most unprecedented global events in modern history, nudged HR teams to shift to agile systems. These agile systems leverage technology and automation to better prepare HR teams for unprecedented events. It paves the way for dexterous workforces that are prepared for disruption and equipped for continued business performance. "An agile people function can help us respond to macro trends such as unpredictability and changing employee expectations, much faster," shared Mr Harshvendra Soin, Global CPO and Head Marketing - Tech Mahindra.  

Listening to Employees

Building a system that prioritises the needs of employees in real-time is key to building a more effective "people team". "Traditionally, we are trained to put business continuity first. But the biggest challenge over the last 18 months was to have an emotionally anchored team delivering business results. We've had many types of reach-outs ,and need to pay more attention to that." shares Ms Preeti Kaul, People and Culture Head, UpGrad.  

Need for Speed

"Traditionally, HR was a conservative function. One had to demonstrate proof of concept. They needed to get multiple stakeholder acceptances and then do the initiative. But by the time they brought it out, the scenario would have dramatically changed. Today, the reaction needs to be in real-time," observes Mr Arun Dinakar, Chief People Office - BirlaSoft. He elaborated that reducing the conversion time for new policies and facilitating them swiftly while balancing risk averseness with compliance is key.  

Interconnectedness of Processes

"Earlier, we would look at Talent Acquisition, Performance, Compensation as separate processes. Today, there's an interconnectedness of how we hire and manage them through various life cycles in the organisation," says Mr James Thomas, VP - SuccessFactors, SAP. Digitisation is really paving the way for interconnectedness. He also believes that redefinition of purpose is a key focus of millennials, Gen Z and the alpha generation, and HR teams must pay attention to these needs. 

Adapting to Hybrid Workplaces 

"We must enable employees to be more productive, not less so in a hybrid work environment, by augmenting digital the right way. For instance, we can restructure meetings to be shorter and create more space for employees to work alone," said Ms Kavitha Kulkarni, CHRO, Varroc Engineering. Some of the new ground realities include remote work, or work-from-anywhere, reorganisation of the traditional meeting structure, as well as building scope for up-gradation of skills, as automation takes over. 

As the pandemic redefines the HR function, teams across the world will have to continue innovating to stay ahead of the thought curve. Aspects like work-life alignment, mental health and well-being, and recognition and reward will grow in their relevance, and HR teams will need to stay on top of trends and respond to shifts in real-time.

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First Published:Dec 24, 2021 3:47 PM IST