| | July 20149CIOReviewsuch as different compensation, development or performance appraisal processes tailored to different employee segments. Or, they could let employees choose from a menu of predefined, standard options.Just as digital changed marketing by enabling customization of products and messages, digital is similarly transforming HR. Digital can now be used to push out customized offerings, including learning and job opportunities, targeted, personalized messages, or personalized information based on an analysis of an individual's social media digital trail and artificial intelligence that predict what an individual needs and values based on their unique employee segment. 5. Cloud Computing will Provide further Flexibility and AgilityIncreasingly, organizations are accessing shared resources, software and information over the Internet on a pay-as-you-go basis. This cloud computing approach will give HR more flexibility to support the business. With the advent of Software-as-a-Service, for example, companies can now update and introduce the latest innovations enabled through software every three to six months instead of every few years.In the consumer world, people are becoming accustomed to smaller, single-use applications available for iPhones and iPads. By using similar kinds of applications in the enterprise, organizations can provide employees with the functionality they need and can avoid costly seldom-used features.The Impact on HRAdditionally, as digital infuses nearly every aspect of talent management and work itself, it will transform how HR organizations operate and how they serve the business. We see it impacting HR in the following ways:Agile-style HR FunctionThe HR function may become more focused as digital tools more efficiently enable transactional processes and as line managers and employees adopt consumer-like applications to handle HR activities themselves. HR may become more project-oriented and aimed at improving organizational effectiveness--such as helping to integrate a new acquisition. Core Activities of the HR FunctionHR may start acting like a marketing organization, by analyzing employee, business and social data to create a 360-degree view of the employee; creating customized talent offerings; and marketing, branding and educating employees about talent and HR activities. Already, in some leading companies, HR analytics groups have been established whose mission is to analyze data to proactively predict drivers of workforce performance. HR Information Management and Technology RolesAs the line continues to blur between internal and external applications, the role of HR information management and technology professionals could change. As software becomes increasingly user-friendly and intuitive, HR professionals may configure packaged software instead of IT experts. Eventually, software and the manipulation of data may become so user-friendly that employees themselves may even be able to manage their own data, with only limited involvement from the IT or HR function.For years, the human resources function has shouldered much of the responsibility for managing people, in a largely segregated operation. Technology advances will change all this, by integrating talent management into the fabric of everyday business. HR IT will further integrate with the business side of Human Resources thus becoming a vital component of organizational performance in an increasingly competitive and fast-changing world.Analytics could make HR the strategic powerhouse it was meant to be--by positioning it to move from historical analysis to predictive analysisAnthony Abbatiello
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