Originally published in peoplematters
HR leaders are adapting to technological advancements to ensure that they provide better services to their employees and organization. For example, they are increasingly using technology to help their employees manage their well-being by monitoring activity levels, promoting healthy behavior, and improving mental health through therapy or online training.
One of the main objectives of HR is to make sure that employees are happy and healthy. Employee well-being is a hot topic for HR managers, and in certain countries, some states also have legislation on the subject. In addition, some companies have wellness programs to attract talent and give employees an incentive to stay with the company. Such good practices result in increased productivity and a lower level of staff turnover. Even though nascent, Artificial Intelligence is also slowly finding some use cases in HR. Few companies are experimenting with the study of human behavior and decision-making. Also, machine learning algorithms are being fed with data to analyze patterns for HR managers to make better decisions. Some good examples can be helping these managers understand which employees are likely to leave the company, who all can be overworked and may need time off, what kind of benefits & incentives to plan for employees with different needs, priorities, and stages of their career, to set salary levels, and to identify suitable candidates who will fit the organization best.
There are many different ways HR managers can utilize technology to support their employees' well-being. The most common ones are:
Use technology to provide health benefits and incentives for healthier lifestyle choices
Technology is changing the way HR professionals work. With the rise of technology-enabled benefits, companies can reduce their costs and provide more incentives to their employees. At the same time, they can also collect data on how people use these technologies to create healthier lifestyle choices. For example, allowing employees to choose different health plans is a great way to boost their morale. Allowing them to decide what is best for themselves, and thus, what will make them healthier. Employers can also offer incentives like gym memberships, healthy food options, and discounts on exercise wear. Some employers have also gone to the extent of helping their employees access certain fitness apps(mobile) adopted by many companies to boost their employees' health and well-being.
To monitor fatigue and offer paid time off to take care of themselves or loved ones
It is becoming a popular trend among companies to offer paid time off for their employees. It is not just a simple vacation where you get away from work for a few days, but it includes a more extended period where the employee can take care of themselves or loved ones. Paid time off provides a safety net for people to take care of themselves or loved ones without fear of being penalized. Such policies can be significant for employees who have physically demanding jobs or jobs that separate employees from their families for long. In today's fast-paced environment, the need for sabbatical leave is also on the rise. It helps employees regain balance and focus by giving them more perspective on life outside of work while they regain their vigor to be highly productive at their workplace. There are many ways companies can track employee fatigue using technology. HRMS Applications are even more critical for monitoring employee productivity and identifying when they need some time off to refresh themselves or care for loved ones.
To educate employees on various topics of mental health, including depression and anxiety
In today's world, stress is a common and chronic health problem. Depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses are on the rise. Contributing factors can be due to money woes or family issues. 1 in 5 adults experience some form of mental illness, but most people don't know how to help them. It's not enough to tell people it's ok; they need to know what to do. Technology can come very handy with tons of resources available through eLearning or remote conferencing with experts. These workshops teach people how to manage their stress levels and cope with difficult emotions like anger and sadness. They also offer yoga and meditation instruction for those who want to learn more about finding.
A new study found that over 50% of employees feel their job causes them stress. The most stressful aspect of the workplace is work-life balance, followed by workload and interpersonal relationships. All these are pressing issues because they can lead to burnout and turnover. You could consider technology-enabled tools to help your employees manage their stress levels.
To promote an open and flexible office culture that allows employees to work from anywhere with the help of technology
The open and flexible office culture is an HR strategy that allows employees to work anytime, from anywhere, with the help of technology. It provides more flexibility for employees who are looking to balance their work with their personal life. There are different types of people who can benefit from this type of office culture. Employees who work long hours, parents who need to take care of their children, and even self-employed professionals may get the most out of this strategy if they have access to the appropriate technology. In the modern world, where there are a lot of challenges and deadlines, the workplace should be flexible. Flexible working hours, remote working culture, and virtual teams should become best practices for companies that want to stay competitive in the global market. At the same time, these strategies help HR in a big way by solving many of the employee grievances related to long commutes and workplace dynamics. Technology is changing how we work in various ways. For example, it has emerged as a new way to work with virtual teams and help people stay connected with their teams across distances.
Flexible working hours are an essential part of an open office culture that allows employees to work at any time of the day or night with the help of technology without worrying about geographical boundaries. Working from home is another step in the direction of flexible working practices. It may not be for everyone, but if it suits your lifestyle, it can save you money on commuting costs and allow you to spend more time at home with your family. Virtual teams are composed of team members who work in different locations or different countries. And, technology enables all of these emerging models of work and best practices.
Employees are at the center of every company. They need to be taken care of and utilized efficiently. So how can we make sure that our employees are happy and productive? Technology has a lot of benefits to help us. We can apply technology to proper employee engagement and management in multiple ways. And, the outcomes that we get depend on what organizations choose for their business. Technology can help as a tool for HR teams, managers, or even employees themselves to create work tasks more efficiently that are best for their well-being. It is time for HR Leaders to adopt new technologies beyond HRMS to make their employee well-being decisions well researched.
Author Bio:
Karunjit Kumar Dhir, CEO & Founder, SCIKEY
Karunjit is an entrepreneur, award-winning business leader, and CEO & Founder of SCIKEY – a market network for jobs, work business solutions, supported by an integrated services ecosystem. He enjoys building great teams businesses ground-up and has scaled multiple million-dollar businesses from scratch, with customers across India, Asia, and the US.
He is a Post-Graduate in Planning Entrepreneurship Management and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Applications where he was an awarded merit scholar for all the academic sessions. He has been featured in 70 Rising Personalities on LinkedIn in Malaysia by Marketing in Asia(MIA) and has various other professional achievements spanning his career, including CEO’s Award, Allegiance Award, Outstanding Contribution, and many more accolades for his accomplishments.
