People-Based HR
DEFINITION, TIPS AND ADVANTAGES
People-Based HR
People-Based HR is a concept that aims to leverage modern HR technology to meet the needs of all participants in HR processes, applying principles of New Work as well as workforce analytics data. People-Based HR relies on the efficient collaboration between the HR department, employees and managers.
“Man is the measure of all things.”[1] – This has not changed, even in the digital age. New technologies support us in everything we do and continuously adapt to our needs. We are practically one with our smartphones and can hardly imagine life without the Internet. We interact with family, friends and work colleagues mostly virtually. Never before have we been more connected and able to exchange information as quickly as today. Meanwhile smartphones have become foldable, and we can use them to pay for things or to activate an electric scooter for the trip home in seconds. Scenarios we could not even have imagined a few years ago. The digital age has brought us New Work, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, and is now deeply rooted in our personal and professional lives. Digital tools liberate us by taking over tasks that we do not like to do ourselves. Especially at work, we rely on smart software that makes our lives easier.
MODERN HR WORK IS DIGITAL AND PEOPLE-BASED
Company departments with a particularly high administrative burden benefit most from digital transformation. In German HR departments, 39% of HR resources are invested in administrative processes.[2] Recurring administrative tasks not only require too many resources, they also prevent the HR team from focusing on the person behind an employee. Modern HR work requires modern tools. Tools that deliver the perfect synthesis between human and technology, improve efficiency, reduce costs, and streamline processes. Above all, new tools must create new opportunities and capacities. The easiest way for companies to achieve this is by introducing HR software. Today, entire HR processes can be fully automated. HR processes should be employee-oriented, i.e. designed to match HR specialists’ working methods and needs. HR software that supports standardization and streamlines collaboration through aggregated task views with all relevant information makes HR processes more efficient. At the same time, all participants in an HR process should be actively involved, which means the HR software you choose should target employees and managers, too, and enable them to manage sub-steps such as approvals or the initiation of an HR process themselves. Thus, joint tasks can be completed in one place, and important information is sent directly to the responsible employee via the communal platform.
Modern HR work today goes beyond the use of modern technologies – it means people-based HR processes. Defined processes and responsibilities are essential. At the same time, it is important to know the needs of your employees and to provide them with suitable tools that facilitate their daily work and increase productivity. Software should be able to transform complex processes into automated, optimized workflows. A continuous and consistently positive user experience across all HR tools ensures long-term process optimization. Personalized tasks and information should be available exactly when you need them. HR workflows that can be executed from any device, anywhere, give employees the ability to complete tasks on the go. An engaging and well-designed user interface with accessibility support makes HR work easier than ever for everyone, including visually and speech impaired users.
PEOPLE-BASED HR IN THE NEW WORK AGE
For employees today, particularly the younger generations, work is about much more than just earning money. They expect more from their employer than the salary that is transferred on time. This inevitably has implications for the HR department. HR today must respond to the needs of the New Work generations and position these needs throughout the company, beyond the HR department. But how can the HR team address these needs when they are busy processing piles of employee documents?
The HR department needs to be liberated from time-consuming administrative tasks in order to deal with larger-scale issues. People-Based HR meets the requirements of the New Work age. It sets new standards for HR and opens up opportunities for HR staff, managers and employees. The aim is to abandon the idea of a 9-to-5 job, to increase productivity and to adapt working conditions to the employees. To provide for mobile working environments, hierarchy-free management and more flexibility. New Work raises the question of what the person behind the employee really wants, and responds with a comprehensive approach to topics such as self-fulfillment, personal development, flexible working hours and mobile working. The digital age provides solutions for these requirements and gives HR departments the chance to focus on their core responsibility.
HR software and services give employees and managers the opportunity to help shape HR processes and initiate HR requests single-handedly. Another advantage is the example that the HR department can set by proving to be open to new technologies. This is HR’s opportunity to redefine its future role and responsibilities and to shift its focus back to its target group. Digitization helps free the HR department from administrative tasks in the long run and at the same time streamline the use of resources. Tasks that would otherwise be neglected can be given more attention again through the active participation of employees and managers.
PEOPLE-BASED HR IS DATA-DRIVEN
Employee-oriented HR work also means using the valuable data gathered by the HR department. Workforce analytics is essential to People-Based HR and provides answers to specific questions by leveraging data from various sources. These questions are not limited to the past or present. Predictive analytics allow HR to make future-oriented use of key performance indicators and to identify correlations. Influencing factors and concrete recommendations can be derived from these metrics. If an increased employee turnover is detected within a certain time frame, data analyses can be used to identify possible reasons and develop warnings for similar scenarios in the future.
Connect the dots
The synthesis of human and technology, based on the values of the New Work age and supported by valuable HR data, is key to successful HR work in the digital age, putting the focus back on the people.
[1] Philosopher Protagoras
[2] DGFP e.V. & Kienbaum study on HR strategies & organization 2017
