Top 5 HR Trends That Will Transform HR Technology in 2021

What is an HRIS and what does the future have in store?

A Human Resource Information System (HRIS for short) is the integration of information technology with HR practices. Put simply, it’s when you use an online solution or software to take care of the HR department’s data entry, information, and tracking needs. 

So how exactly can a Human Resource Information System make your life easier? When you select a high-quality HRIS, it will typically have the following capabilities: 

• Manage employee information. HRIS software will help you manage HR data, such as employees’ salaries, position history, performance appraisals, reporting structures, addresses, and other kinds of personal information. 
• Company documents. The system will store and organize important documents like employee handbooks, safety procedures, and emergency evacuation guidelines. 
• HR Payroll integration. An HRIS system should integrate with your company’s accounting systems and financial software. Once they are connected, you can use the HRIS to make sure that paychecks are correct. There will never be discrepancies between the official pay rate and payroll’s information.  
• Resume management and application tracking system. A seamless HRIS will enable a recruiter to simply click a “hired” button and transfer the applicant’s information to the employee side of the system. This saves you loads of time on paperwork. What’s more, since you aren’t inputting data manually, there will be no errors. 
• Employee self-service. Most modern HRIS will have this capability. It allows employees to take care of many tasks that would typically fall on the shoulders of HR professionals. 

HRIS can also help you manage and track performance development plans, benefits, training records, disciplinary actions, training records, and more. Effective HRIS software will provide information on pretty much anything your company needs to track and analyze about applicants, employees, and former staff. 

With that being said, the HR world is always changing – and new capabilities are added to HR software to reflect those changes. That, coupled with the changing post-pandemic world, means that HRIS in 2021 could be vastly different from previous years. We’ve analyzed the signs; read on to find out what HR trends we are anticipating in future. 

1. Understanding the Younger Workforce

Generation Z is preparing to join the workforce. As with all generations, their career priorities and values will be different from employees of previous years. So, it’s important for talent management professionals to figure out what exactly makes these young adults tick. 

Gen Z workers are highly motivated. Monster surveyed workers aged 15 – 20 and found that 76% of them feel responsible for driving their own career forward. What’s more, 58% of the respondents said they would be willing to work on the weekends and overnight shifts for higher pay – this was higher than Millennials, Gen X, and baby boomers. 

Generation Z is entrepreneurial and self-motivated. They’ve grown up in the digital world and have a general tendency towards networking. Companies will have to make adjustments to what they publicly stand for. Gen Z workers support companies that truly support good causes – and aren’t just doing good for tax-saving purposes. HRIS software will likely update to contain guides on the values that a company stands for, to appeal to socially responsible applicants and younger employees. We also predict that HRIS will track reasons for near-term exits among Gen Z employees (lack of flexibility, workplace culture, dissatisfaction with pay, and so on). 

2. Gig Economy

The gig economy has grown by leaps and bound over the last several years. And now that many people are out of work because of the coronavirus pandemic, they are turning to short-term gigs – even if they wouldn’t have considered it otherwise. The gig economy is a trend towards worker entrepreneurship and empowerment, and we predict that it will grow exponentially over the next year. HRIS software will likely adjust to this trend. We believe that high-quality HRIS in 2021 will track the following factors: 

• Cloud-based data tracking multinational gig workers across the entire organization
• Organization of government labor regulations regarding gig workers
• Social media integration to connect multinational gig workers and build communities
• Configuration exploration (the ability to tailor the core system and toggle gig worker settings)

3. Better Browsing Experience

As more and more HRIS are moving towards employee self-service, developers will need to make sure that the software interface is as user-intuitive as possible. When choosing an HRIS, a company should pick an interface that has a simple and familiar format, rather than a fancy one. We predict that HRIS will focus on creating Windows-like interfaces with customization options and user readiness tutorials. 

4. Updates to Safety Guidelines and Tracking

The vast majority of US workers are required to wear face masks while on shift. Because of this, we predict that HRIS will be used to track worker compliance and disciplinary actions that are given for not wearing masks. We also believe that companies will use HRIS to store safety information and regulations regarding mask usage. They will also use HRIS to send emails or direct mails to employees regarding government updates on COVID work procedures. Want an example? The Families First Coronavirus Response Act – the U.S. Department of Labor required each covered employer to post a notice of the act on the company’s premises and to also email or direct mail the notice to all employees. HRIS makes that simple! 

5. Employee Wellness

During times of isolation and sickness, it is more important than ever for companies to look out for employee wellness. HRIS can make this a more manageable task. Employees are more stressed than ever, and company wellness programs help them to remain in good health – this boost productivity and helps workers feel more engaged while at work. Some options include support programs, fitness classes (these are moved online nowadays), and healthy lunch options. So, how can HRIS help with employee wellness? You can use it to send employees automatic reminders regarding health practices. You can also use it to implement a wellness program, thus setting goals for employees to track progress and be rewarded for their fitness and wellness endeavors. 

Conclusion

We believe that 2021 will bring a huge shift to HRIS. The systems will place a larger focus on adapting to a post-COVID society and to appealing to Generation Z. By staying updated on HR trends, HR professionals can adjust business processes and anticipate changes to the industry.