HR professionals are required to multi-task and possess the ability to handle many requirements from different employees, managers, and several other higher authorities in an organization.
Whether it is getting a non-performing employee fired, tracking the attendance report of a project team, dealing with the personal issues of an employee, discussing a retention possibility with a talented employee on a notice period, and more, they do it all!
Even though the focus in HR is on people, the function needs support from technology to handle such a comprehensive set of tasks or responsibilities.
And, we have reached the stage where HR without technology is simply unimaginable, irrespective of the level of integration of mobile, cloud or social technology, which may vary for different organizations. Hence, it is pertinent to have knowledge of technology as an integral part of the skills set of every HR professional.
So, let us go through the best technological skills that every HR professional must possess in this age of technological advancement.
1. Social Media Handling
I know what you must be thinking; social media is not a skill!
Well, the entire world has become social these days with the help of social media and it is thus critically important to have a good presence on such networks.
Any HR professional who knows how to search social media sites and reach out to the potential new hires, who possess the requisite skill set for a “hard-to-fill” job position, can give a real edge to your organization.
Having basic knowledge of how a social media tool or platform works will allow the HR function to screen various potential job candidates, give them cold calls, check the history of new recruits, and so on. Additionally, HR professionals must know how and where to use the social networking tools in order to support the HR function and should be aware of the corresponding legal implications as well.
2. Human Resources Information Software
A Human Resources Information Software (HRIS) is a great example of the intersection of IT and HR through software. Having HR professionals in your team who are already know how HRIS works could save your business plenty of time and effort.
Such tools enable several of your HR team processes and tasks to occur electronically and thereby gives HR professionals more time to focus on work, such as HR planning and strategizing, which require manual inputs.
Thus, a certification in HRIS could be a must-have tech certification that could help you shortlist your ideal HR candidates.
3. Applicant Tracking Systems
Gone are the days when HR professionals sorted through potential candidates’ resumes by hand!
With the number of job applicants reaching the sky in the overall job market, organizations now receive a truckload of CVs. This is where a team of HR professionals who are well versed in the use of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs) can quickly sort out the resumes, especially during major walk-in job drives or referral drives.
Many of the top enterprises do not even spend time to look at most CVs; this is because around 90% of them use ATS to pass the data from the resumes and match them against the database. Such a process helps to shortlist only the ideal candidates for a particular job profile.
4. Knowledge of SQL and Reporting
Your organization may have an ample amount of sorted data, but, if you cannot access it immediately when required, then the data is of little use.
Your HR team thus needs to be aware of where to find particular data and how to extract the same quickly. In addition, they also need to know about how the extracted data can be presented in a form suitable for the needs of the different managers or higher authorities.
Hence, it becomes important for your HR team to ask sophisticated queries through tools like as Structured Query Language (SQL) and report generators in order to generate effective metrics, even those involving complex calculations.
5. Strong Grasp of the Microsoft Office Product Suite
It may be an implicit requirement for most organizations, but good expertise in Microsoft Office tools, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, is definitely a must-have skill for any HR professional for some typical benefits.
For example, Microsoft Excel helps them export or import data reports and even consolidate the same. Also, Microsoft Word and PowerPoint can be used to formulate policies and relevant changes that need to be circulated to all the employees within an organization.
So, a sound proficiency in the Microsoft Office products augurs well for effective talent management at your enterprise.
6. Sound Knowledge of Cloud Technology
Cloud computing is the future and many organizations have already started embracing it. Now, I will not blame you for wondering what the cloud has got to do with HR? Is it not too technical for them?
Well, in this age of increased mobility, anytime and anywhere access may soon be the need of the hour for most systems, including the HR system, used at your organization. HR professionals who are aware of cloud computing technology will thus be in a better position to leverage more out of a cloud-based HR management software, such as Natural HR Cloud.Also, they should have knowledge about using Google Drive, Dropbox, Backblaze, Carbonite or any other cloud storage and backup solutions that your company uses. In this way, they can save and back up their crucial data to the cloud to avoid data loss due to unanticipated circumstances, such as hard drive crashes or malware attacks.
7. Gamification Skills
The technique of gamification in HR involves the application of game-thinking and related mechanics that bring the essence of games (such as fun, transparency, play, competition, and so on) into real-world business processes like recruitment and learning and development (L&D). The gamification skillset of HR professionals can be useful to engage employees, collaborate with them, and encourage them for training and development as well as engage potential new hires.
For example, PwC Hungary launched a game, Multipoly, on its career website to keep its wide pool of potential job candidates engaged during the job search process. Multipoly gave the players the opportunity to get a virtual experience of working with PwC and test their readiness for the same, along with the knowledge about PwC’s vision and their services.
8. Talent Management and L&D Software Management
Organizations use many different tools for two key areas of HR: L&D and Talent Management.
For example, Cornerstone Learning, an innovative LMS, is one such tool that boosts self-guided continuous learning coupled with modern and customized training. Similarly, Cornerstone Recruiting, a talent management system, equips HR professionals with configurable career sites and social recruiting tools that enable them to find the right talent quickly.
Both these systems come under the comprehensive Cornerstone unified cloud platform that helps you connect your entire workforce.
9. Exposure to Payroll Software
Even though not all HR professionals may be required to work on payroll processes, it is definitely useful for them to know about at least one of the widely used payroll software tools used in companies.
A good HR must be a strategic contributor and that’s why having experience with such tolls is important. There’re many benefits and the 1st one is- it saves costing (you don’t need another person for Payroll things). Knowledge of Payroll software will reduce lot of paperwork and improves your reporting efficiency.
10. Mining Online Databases
One of the most common tasks done by HR professionals is to use the internet extensively in order to search tons of online databases for potential candidates who correspond to various job vacancies or requirements in your company.
Hence, the most basic technological skill required of any HR professional is to be internet-savvy. They must also have the ability to use a desktop PC or laptop to mine online databases for better analytics and sourcing.
Do you already have the above mentioned must-have technological skills on your checklist for HR professionals? If not, it may just be the right time to add them!
Bio: Mauricio is the lead Cloud expert at Cloudwards.net, a data and user feedback driven comparison engine for cloud storage, online backup and VPN apps and services. In addition, He also loves producing educational videos and reviews to help people get the best services of their needs. Get in touch with him on LinkedIn.
