As per Wikipedia, IoT or the Internet of Things is the network of vehicles, physical devices and home appliances that are embedded with software, actuators, electronics, sensors, etc. The embedding enables the connection and exchanging of data between objects. Everything is exclusively identifiable via its entrenched computing system. It can also inter-operate within the present internet infrastructure. This is what IoT technology is all about. Coming to HR or human resources; it includes the management actions and decisions that pose an effect on the association between employees and an organization. Transforming HR to the best of its abilities is now possible by harnessing the power of IoT. Let us learn more in detail.

Transforming trend:

The present era is all about technology. To track down the steps walked each day, to measure the calories burned and also to track the hours slept; everything humans can now do with apps and gadgets. These are making life more convenient and there is no doubt about it. However, human resources transformation is something which is nowadays facilitated by IoT technology as well. Not just digitization but the continuous growth of the network of mobile and wearable devices is what is transforming the society bit by bit. It is also changing the way organizations conduct business.

Organizations are constantly aiming to optimize workflow and staff management in real-time. The workplace though is all about employees getting caught up with decision making, emails, fulfilling performance standards, etc. Managing each of these things poses effects on productivity levels very clearly. The human resource management of companies nowadays is shifting the emphasis more on Smartphone communication tools and wearable computing devices. Such shifts are crucial due to the increased requirement for tracking, evaluating and measuring the performance of employees.

It is possible to acquire quantifiable data from various devices that are again driven by the construction of technology known as IoT. The human resources department can get hands on unparalleled amounts of data from the wearables of the employees. This will assist HR departments to craft efficient and positive work culture by evaluating communication patterns, employee productivity, better way of team collaboration for best outcomes, etc.

Statistics:

Customers purchased more than 46 million fitness trackers & wearable devices in the year of 2015. As per the anticipation of analysts, the demand for these devices will soar by an amount of 47% annually via 2019. This will make these technology markets one of the fastest-growing ones.

Effect of IoT technology for transforming HR:

Complete HR digital transformation is possible in the current era as HR departments start devising strategies for absorbing the effect of IoT on manifold aspects of HR. How the HR department can make this possible is listed below:

• IoT technology enhances employee experience to a large extent. Managers, HR and employees equipped with Internet enabled Smartphone devices can remain connected with one another unceasingly. For example, employees and managers can communicate whenever they want, book rooms for meetings, exchange ideas, etc. In this manner, IoT helps in optimizing the efficiency of employees’ workdays. It will also facilitate enhanced work experience.
• The work environment is going to be far more flexible in the upcoming times that will benefit employees in several ways. An organization will also witness the running of a stable employee attendance system due to this. These attendance management devices can help in tracking the alertness of employees while they are on the job. Attendance management is very important for a company. Along with this IoT technology will play a big role in enabling human resource departments to craft flexible workspaces. This will enable employees to manage work seamlessly via wearable and mobile devices.
• The HR department of almost every company is nowadays utilizing Human Resource Management Software for simplifying the various work processes. One of the best vendors of HRMS software in present times is Exactlly. It is crucial for the HR department to realize the importance of people analytics. This will mainly derive from IoT. This technology helps in the accumulation of a huge data amount that is linked with people and the related procedures. Strategy and decision-makers can make extensive use of this data for various purposes.
• It is possible to measure and monitor the wellness of employees regularly with the help of IoT technology. This way transforming HR is also very much possible. When employers take correct steps for enhancing employee health and within the correct time, organizations can actually reap the benefits of these high-end technologies.
• IoT technology also poses a highly positive effect on Continuous Performance Management. As connectivity with all kinds of IoT devices is increasing day by day, it is helping in erecting a digital culture where employees and managers can associate frequently, enhance skills, boost one another, share opinions about each other’s performance and do a lot more.
• Trackers help in keeping an eye on the mobile workforce for the better. By tracking the activity of all the employees, organizations can manage everything perfectly without the need for too much stress.

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality:

An organization can completely harness the potential that IoT technology holds by adopting technologies like Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. This will in turn lead to transforming HR so that companies can facilitate resource optimization in the best way possible.

• Recruitment –

Organizations with the help of IoT technology and HRMS integration can easily enhance the evaluation of candidates by positioning them in virtual situations. This will help in testing the behavior of each and every candidate.

• Learning –

Recruited employees within a company with the help of IoT will be capable of learning in a simulated environment. The action of embedding will follow where employees will conduct actions linked to training such as diminishing fires, assembling parts of products, etc. Analytics & video sensors will help the trainers in receiving precise information about how each employee is doing on the learning process and make needed adjustments.

• Privacy –

Organizations always try to safeguard and keep intact the company talent so that it can bring the correct changes within the human resource policies. IoT technology can help in doing this perfectly. If the correct changes are not brought, it will result in frustration amidst employees. This decreases employee engagement to large extents. However, employees can very easily adapt to IoT.

Final Say:

When it comes to IoT technology, this wave of innovation is surely going to thrive. It will have a very important effect on the way human resources and employees operate. It will help in transforming HR beautifully. Wearables these days help in tracking and optimizing performance and employees can utilize IoT devices for becoming more productive in the workplaces. HR leaders must start conceiving the golden prospects of IoT in the present times. This is a much needed technological boost for all organizations in today’s world. Crafting value within workplaces is now seamless with systems like exactllyHRMS. Watch the Free Demo and Contact Us for free consultations.