The survey, commissioned by Access Group and carried out by Arlington Research, found that manual processes are still predominantly being used by HR professionals (43 per cent for appraisals and 54 per cent for recruitment). This is despite 63 per cent of respondents agreeing that using technology on a daily basis to recognise and evaluate employees would be a valuable business tool.
As more millennial (*¹) employees enter the workforce, HR professionals can expect an increasing demand for HR information to be exchanged and analysed digitally. These employees have deeply embraced technology and believe in its ability to solve any issue in the context of their moment of need (²). As digital natives, millennials take a self-service approach to technology. Arguably HR professionals can use this attitude to mould new, intuitive methods of interacting with these future-fit leaders.
The research highlighted that more intuitive methods of interaction would also support the desire from the profession and from employees for a greater focus on continuous performance evaluation. 70 per cent of HR professionals said their organisation is likely to use continuous evaluation of employees as a substitute to annual performance and 80 per cent agreed it has the potential to be more valuable than traditional annual reviews. Over half (58 per cent) of employees stated they would rather have continuous evaluation than an annual performance review.
Rob Gimes, HCM product manager at Access Group, said: “As more organisations strive to excel in their ability to recruit and retain the right people for the right job roles, they are under increasing pressure to ensure their HR processes are effective so that employees feel informed, motivated and valued. In order to inspire the leaders of tomorrow, who embrace technology in every aspect of their lives, there is a clear need for companies to put technology at the heart of their HR and adopt a more scientific approach.”
He continues: “The research has provided great insight into the desire of both HR professionals and employees for a move away from annual performance reviews to continuous evaluation. There is a clear recognition that instant feedback to employees will inspire them to work harder *³, which, will in turn help to enhance productivity and skills retention – all of which help HR professionals to futureproof their businesses.”
*¹ The description of millennials refers to employees born between 1980 and 2000
*² Predictions 2016: IOT’s impact inside companies, Forrester, November 2015