Understanding and effectively using HR technology is now a critical part of any HR professional’s job, although not all professionals possess the necessary competencies. To some extent, that’s understandable because technology advances so rapidly that even recent graduates may not be well-versed in new and emerging tools.
Liana Passantino, a human resources research leader with Gartner, said the sheer proliferation of data brought about by technological advancements has made data literacy critical for HR staff today. HR professionals, she noted, are expected to be able to understand, analyze, interpret and communicate data, even if they’re not directly working with technology or coding.
But there are some significant gaps in the tech-related skills employees have and the ones they need. Passantino pointed to Gartner research that found that only 11 percent of learning and development staff believe employees have the skills they need for future roles, while 64 percent of managers don’t think their employees can keep pace with future skills needs.
General data literacy is a competency that everyone in HR must possess today, said Bogdan Apostol, co-founder and CEO of people intelligence platform Nestor. “Being able to interpret and present data in an easy-to-understand way is no longer a skill limited to HR decision-makers and leaders,” he said. Rather, data literacy is a must-have for virtually all employees.
The issue is top of mind for HR leaders, whether they are recruiting new staff or determining how to best reskill or upskill current staff.
HR Uses Generative AI, Social Media and More
HR professionals work with a wide range of technologies, from workforce analytics to talent management systems, learning management systems, generative AI tools and even social media.
While social media platforms may not seem to require technological acumen, they do—especially for HR professionals who use them strategically to find, connect with and compel potential applicants to action. This often requires SEO and digital advertising competencies.
“Modern recruitment and branding efforts cannot be separated from social media platforms. Therefore, it’s important for people aspiring for HR-related roles to be familiar with the features of such platforms,” Apostol said.
Another technology-related competency that can sometimes be overlooked, said Passantino, is data privacy and security. This is particularly pertinent in HR, which deals with a wide range of employees’ personal information.
Finding HR Employees with Tech Competencies
“We know that every job in HR has a technology component to it, and we evaluate all candidates with that in mind,” said Tom Wilson, president at Frederickson, a Gallagher Company, a global insurance, risk management and consulting firm. “If a chief people officer candidate cannot articulate how tech enables their function—and the company overall—to perform better, that person will not be a top candidate for any role.”
Wilson added that HR leaders need to be able to demonstrate a track record in successful HR tech implementation.
“Mistakes in this area can set a company back years,” he said. “Getting it right the first time is both a time and cost saver. Measure twice, cut once.”
When hiring HR staff, whether in leadership or entry-level roles, it’s important to assess for the tech competencies necessary to drive the HR function, and your company, forward.
Skills assessments can be used during recruiting, Apostol said. But they need to avoid generalization or standard, overused scenarios and focus instead on actual work-related situations requiring candidates to “highlight how the use of certain tools helped them solve a problem, speed up a process or improve workflows.”