2021 HR Technology Conference: Key Takeaways
Employee ExperienceBlog Post

2021 HR Technology Conference: Key Takeaways

2021 HR Technology Conference: Key Takeaways


INRY and ThinkTalent had a fantastic 2021 HR Technology Conference in Las Vegas last week. We exhibited INTalent (a joint venture of INRY and ThinkTalent), our innovative recruiting solution built on ServiceNow platform. INTalent delivers unparalleled efficiency and scalability to talent selection process by providing recruiters with intuitive features to identify the most qualified candidates more quickly. JD Sillion, CRO at INRY and Patrick Foss, President at ThinkTalent represented INTalent at this year’s HR Tech. Pitchfest

Pic: Patrick Foss, President at ThinkTalent presented INTalent at the HR Tech Pitchfest.

“It was great to meet face-to-face again, but it was even better to get strong validation from the ecosystem that INTalent is addressing a critical gap in today’s ATS landscape. We can’t wait for companies to take a look and evaluate for themselves”.

JD Sillion, CRO at INRY

As the largest HR technology and services exposition in the world, the HR Tech event brings exhibitors and attendees from across the globe. In addition to thought-provoking keynotes from speakers such as Josh Bersin, Marcus Buckingham, Ravin Jesuthasan and Jason Averbook, the event offered a pitchfest competition designed to recognize innovation and contributions to the future of HR Technology. Topics such as the Artificial intelligence in HR, the Great Resignation and the impact of hybrid and remote workplaces were just a few of the focal points this year.

Here are some of the takeaways from the 2021 HR Tech Conference:

Era of hybrid or remote workplace: COVID and its impacts will remain drivers for what’s happening in the workforce for the foreseeable future, from hybrid or remote workforce planning to spending on HR systems to onboarding and even managing the challenges of the labor market. Worker expectations regarding hybrid work models have likely changed forever, and employers are still processing this new reality. In the age of hybrid work, choice and flexibility have become crucial to enhancing employee satisfaction.

Innovation in HR Tech: When it comes to HR technology, the market is ripe for innovation. Employers are in need of solutions to address the Great Resignation and to keep their talent engaged, satisfied and productive. Traditional HCM platforms will remain relevant, but supplementing them with more modern interactive applications for employee and applicant engagement makes sense as organizations rise to meet current hiring and retention challenges.

Resume flood - Increase in Recruiter workload: There is a need for organizations to manage the outpouring of resumes and applications. While hiring expert admit hiring is a bit of a riddle right now, because open positions remain unfilled regardless of how many resumes organizations receive. Separating the validate candidates from the applicant noise is critical to fill critical job openings and support your organization’s growth mandate.

Employee Experience and Feedback: Feedback is another important aspect of employee and candidate experience. As per Aptitude Research, only 1 in 2 candidates receive feedback in the hiring process, and most employees only receive feedback once a year during the performance review. As per research presented at HR Tech by Marcus Buckingham, New York Times best-selling author and leading authority on employee productivity said, “If an employee thinks that their organization’s HR function adds value to their experience, they are 3.7 times more likely to stay with their company.”

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The Rise of AI in Talent Management: AI should be part of the HR leader's toolkit if it isn't already. AI-powered HR solutions now tackle talent management, job recruitment, employee satisfaction, internal hiring and promotion, and more.  The mainstreaming of advanced AI in most organizations will start through HR, since its work processes and transaction volumes are well suited to AI-powered automation and enhancement.

The HR technology has no meaning if employees do not use it: The success of HR tech projects depends on employee adoption, so HR needs to concentrate on employee experience. Unless these tools and solutions are embraced by employees, they may not succeed. In fact, according to research presented by Josh Bersin, global industry analyst and keynote speaker at the HR Tech Conference, 42% of HR tech projects fail after two years. HR leaders need to realize that the success of a project is largely not about the technology itself but rather how it will be used by the workers and applicants. “Employee experience isn’t a set of features on top of software, rather it is a whole suite of tools to create a great experience for employees,” said Bersin. 

Josh Bersin

In summary, Human Resources organizations find themselves faced with both unprecedented challenges and important opportunities. Innovation and flexibility will be critical to allowing HR teams to navigate both. There is no shortage of technology available across many areas of the HR-owned application space – but for HR to be successful they need to be efficient, and have the time to build relationships with their employees. The right tools are critical to making them efficient without adding clutter to their day - and INTalent is designed with that in mind. Solutions like INTalent provide a critical enabler to HR success in turbulent times as it looks to elevate applicant experience, meet escalating hiring requirements, and position their organizations for success.

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