New Research: How HR Leaders Are Using Technology To Get a Seat at The Table

Today we’re announcing new research in partnership with Harvard Business Review Analytic Services, which looks at the current HR technology landscape and highlights both the challenges and benefits HR teams can expect as they implement new technologies.

The research features deep interviews from leading chief human resources officers, VPs of HR, and other HR experts.

When we first set out to do this research a few months ago, the world looked drastically different. Now with the COVID-19 crisis, more companies are adopting work from home policies, and as a result, HR professionals are emerging as key leaders at their organizations. They’re being called upon to set expectations for how remote work is done, are playing a crucial role in all business decisions, and are acting as advisors who will guide us through this difficult time. 

Technology is at the center of all this change. HR teams were already moving towards a digital transformation, but now with COVID-19, the pace at which they’re adopting and implementing technology is rapidly increasing. However, while HR teams are more eager to adopt technology, there are still hurdles to overcome. 

Our research shows that most HR teams are still bogged down by administrative tasks and paper processes. In fact, only 31% of respondents say technology is embraced by HR at their organization. 

Take background checks for example. Only 30% of HR professionals surveyed are currently using technology to conduct background checks. Most HR leaders are still dealing with paper applications and requiring their candidates to fill them out by hand and scan them in. How does this scale in a world where most people are working from home and likely don’t have access to expensive office equipment? And how do HR teams find time to vet new vendors to digitize their hiring process if they’re stuck filling out paperwork?

The HR leaders that find and address key gaps like this will be the ones who are successful in this new age of remote work. They’ll be able to reduce time spent on mindless tasks and use their energy on more important initiatives, like bringing employees together and providing support during this crisis. 

The next few months are crucial for HR leaders, and it’s our hope that this research can help them better understand the current technology landscape, uncover new technologies to improve their hiring processes, and more importantly, take advantage of the immense opportunity that lies ahead of them. 

You can read the full research report here.