HR is going digital in 2023. As more companies redefine their hybrid working strategies for a remote-based future, the HR industry has been blessed with virtual onboarding technology, live chat systems and even a ticket into the metaverse.

(Image Source: AIHR)

In an era of digital transformation, the corporate sector has become of of the first industries to embrace new technology. Targeting more consumers than ever before and a global pool of potential employees, automation has become essential for most businesses. 

In fact, 58% of companies rely on HR technology alone in order to keep up with recruitment and retention goals.

As we step into 2023, turning away from technology is no longer possible. If you want your business to stay on top in a competitive landscape, it’s time to start updating your digital workspace.  

Why is HR tech so important?

The business sector is a competitive playground. If you want to level up, it’s essential that your company can connect and communicate with the online world in just a few clicks. Whether you’re talking to a potential partner overseas or recruiting top talent from across the globe, up-to-date tech makes all the difference when it comes to HR.

Digital tools can help businesses simplify their strategies and start saving time and money. Going digital can improve productivity, shorten onboarding times and contribute to data-driven decision-making. 

With a quarter of all professionals expected to work remotely by the end of 2023, investing in a digital HR strategy could be the difference between hiring top talent or recruitment drives going stale.

“COVID-19 forced us to come home and work remotely. Technology has been here, and we are now forced to make it work. Our personal lives are now digital, and work must be as well,” states Robert Kovach, Management Consultant at Business Psychologist.

“This is not a time to wait and see. Leaders must take the initiative and protect their company culture. What we’ve learned from other transitions is that those leading going in aren’t necessarily the ones leading on the other side.”

4 digital HR must-haves in 2023

36% of HR professionals worry that their technology is not in line with current industry trends. Without a sufficient digital workspace, remote productivity levels falter, and HR communication dips, leading to higher levels of employee turnover and poor WFH collaboration.

In order to combat this, here are 4 essential digital updates businesses should be introducing to their HR department in 2023.

1. Virtual Onboarding

Did you know that a whopping one-third of HR teams lack sufficient onboarding technology? Without a successful onboarding experience, employee retention suffers. The onboarding process gives a newcomer chance to learn about the business and connect with their new colleagues, in turn improving team productivity.  

In 2022 a large proportion of corporate workers revealed that they had no intention of going back into the office in the next five years. As remote onboarding becomes more prevalent, it’s more important than ever before to prioritise a positive induction process.

There are plenty of ways to optimise your onboarding strategy. From hiring in ‘cohorts’ like Sprout Social, so remote employees can enter digital breakout rooms together, to diving into immersivity like Accenture, which uses VR to welcome new recruits. 

In fact, companies that use VR/AR technology to onboard new employees are likely to see a retention rate of over 80% compared to just 20% for companies without technological backing. 

Accenture, in particular, is leading the VR onboarding movement with its clever Nth Floor innovation. 

(Image Source: Accenture)

Using Microsoft’s AltspaceVR, Accenture onboards large groups of colleagues at once in an immersive virtual classroom packed with games, icebreakers and company culture quizzes. 

2. HR Chatbots

While remote working may have its perks, the idea that you can’t simply walk into the HR department when you have a question can pose an issue.

Introducing HR chatbots to your business’s digital workspace can combat this, as employees instantly have a quick port of contact when they have a question or concern. Using AI-driven technology, HR chatbots can generate auto-responses for frequently asked questions, saving both HR and busy employees the hassle of emailing back and forth. 

Better still, chatbots can also start conversations with employees. For example, if a colleague has forgotten to fill in a form, chatbots automatically pop-up on their screen with helpful reminders and links to the task.

In a fast-paced hiring environment, AI-infused chatbots can also aid the recruitment process. Automating manual interview scheduling and collecting screen answers, chatbots interpret conversational language with ease and can get an applicant all the way to an interview without any intervention from the HR team itself. 

3. A professional website

In a competitive corporate environment, your digital footprint plays an important role in your success. 

“Globally, the most common way for new staff to be recruited is through online job postings, either on job boards or career websites,” claim experts at Statista.

Most job seekers do their homework before applying to a new company. If you want to draw in professional talent, you must market yourself as a professional company. This means that your website should be well-optimised for user accessibility, and your domain name should be easily recognisable to potential candidates.

Investing in a professional web hosting service can ensure that your business performs at optimum capacity, with no downtime and large bandwidth for potential traffic surges.

Hosted sites appear more credible and boost a company’s reputation when appealing to new hires. Not only does a customised domain name make a business more discoverable on Google, but this personalisation also carries over to email too, ensuring brand name consistency when following up with potential candidates. 

4. Self-service HR

If you’re not inclined to the idea of HR chatbots, employee self-service platforms are also a great investment for HR teams looking to update their digital practices. 

Reducing the need to send emails, memos and slack updates, a self-service portal is a low-cost digital tool that’ll save your business time and money.

(Image Source: Select Hub)

Systems such as MyHRToolKit and People HR can store employee information and make it accessible in just a few clicks, as well as automate holiday requests and manage payslips. Without room for human error, self-serve platforms make HR teams and their employees feel at ease when sharing and receiving information.

Knowing employee data is saved and secure in an easy-access portal is a great way to stay on top in a fast-paced workplace. 

It’s time to go digital

If you haven’t already, 2023 is the year to start going digital. HR plays an essential role in your company’s success, so it’s important to optimise its effectiveness wherever you can.

The future of HR will centre around automation. Whether employees tap in via VR or rely on AI-infused chatbots, technology will lead the way forward.

“AI will augment HR and give HR time to work on more strategic business issues,” says Jeanne Meister, author of The Future Workplace Experience. “The opportunity is to use AI to streamline HR manual processes and provide a more consumer-grade service to employees.”