Technology

You need to know now about coming innovations in bandwidth speed, AI/analytics, interoperability, cryptocurrency, and more. You don’t need a crystal ball to gaze into your organization’s digital future, but you do need to know what capabilities are out there, what trends are growing, and what technologies your employees will need and want. Take time to learn about the hot technology for 2020 and what innovations will increase productivity, simplify data collection and analysis, and improve employee engagement and job satisfaction. … [Read more...] about Plug In Now to Tech Trends You Will Need in 2020 and Beyond

Follow these steps to choose and implement technology that drives engagement and alignment. When you’re looking at new computer systems, software solutions, and other technologies, don’t be blinded by the bells and whistles and cutting-edge capabilities. The real test for any tech purchases should be: Will our employees use it? If technology isn’t well-designed, intuitive, and integrated into workflows (instead of adding time-consuming steps), it can have a negative impact on morale, productivity, and retention. To choose technology that drives engagement and alignment, HR tech analyst Meghan Biro offers seven factors for success. … [Read more...] about Embrace Seven Factors for Technology that Employees Use and Love

Survey: Don’t expect employees to settle for outdated tech and “dowdy” workspace. Your employees may make do with limited or antiquated technology; but according to a new survey, they aren’t happy about it. Of those workers in organizations with state-of-the-art technology and modern aesthetics, nearly three-quarters say they are happy with their jobs and their employers. Of those in “dowdier” workspaces with outdated or older technology, only about half claim job and/or company satisfaction. What amenities are joy-creating for employees? In the technology arena, the survey suggest that the happiest employees appreciate capabilities such as iPad sign-in, badge-less entry, and other technologies (28%). Elsewhere, respondents love conveniences such as a free beverage station (51%), company cafeteria (33%), the ability to … [Read more...] about Do Your Workers Have Technology, Amenity Envy?

Behavioral analytics and “smartphone psychiatry” could help employers identify worker burnout, stress, depression. Watching for red flags to help detect employee burnout can be challenging. Now there is technology that can help do some of the work for you. Behavioral analytics, a subfield of people analytics, is being used by some companies to help identify signs of burnout, as well as to promote optimal health and wellbeing. Generally, this involves a simple wristband or electronic badge that can measure vital signs and detect speech pattern or sleep quality changes. Employers can use the data from these measurements to identify instances where employees are showing signs of being overworked or stressed out. … [Read more...] about The Doctor is “On”: Can Your Smartphone or Other Device Detect Burnout?

High-tech training can help prepare your teams to embrace automation instead of seeing it as a threat. Over the years, dozens of movies have showed the potential impact of robots replacing humans in a variety of jobs. Yet, a new study suggests that workers actually are more worried about being replaced by another person than by a machine. While they have concerns about what technological advances might mean for their job security down the pike, they don’t see this as an immediate issue. Interestingly, employees surveyed for the study say that they would prefer people in other jobs be replaced by humans over technology. However, when it comes to their own job, they would rather be replaced by a machine. Study authors suggests that this finding has to do with self-worth. They explain that being replaced by another … [Read more...] about Study: Employees Worry More About Being Replaced by Other Humans Than by Robots

Sophisticated new technology can cause serious trouble for your employees and your organization. Don’t let it take you by surprise. Deepfake, a skillful blending of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning that lets people alter video, audio, and photos to make it appear that people are doing and/or saying things they aren't, may not affect your workplace now. But experts suggest that it is coming and can create new security headaches for employers. … [Read more...] about Are You Prepared for a Deepfake Disaster?

Cutting-edge platforms are popping up to help HR manage employment-related immigration issues. Employers must verify that their employees are authorized to work in the U.S. However, keeping up with rapidly changing immigration policies is challenging for organizations and can cause headaches and sleepless nights for HR; and gaps in capturing and storing the right documents and information is putting more companies at risk for audits. However, technology is emerging to improve communication on immigration issues, capture information faster and more accurately, and identify gaps in documentation. … [Read more...] about Immigration Technology Makes Managing Employee Verification Easier

New work collaboration/management tools are gaining traction as employers seek to increase efficiency, communication, and productivity. Email revolutionized how people communicate in the workplace; and today people spend about 6 hours a day sending and receiving an average of 123 emails. However, just as emails replaced phone calls and “snail” mail as the most popular way to communicate, new work collaboration/management tools are gaining attention and starting to take the place of traditional email servers. While imperfect, this technology is finding fans among employers and employees in a variety of industries. By enabling screen-sharing and other communication abilities from anywhere, easy monitoring and follow-up, online meetings and meeting recording, personalized meeting URLs, and other features, these tools are worthy of consideration. … [Read more...] about Evolving from Email: New Technology Is Changing How Employees Communicate

Apps that seem harmless can hurt your organization’s security. Educating employees about cybersecurity isn’t a one-and-done proposition. As hackers and cybercriminals get more sophisticated, even the most conscientious organizations and workers can fall prey. Take the recent situation with FaceApp, a popular mobile application that can transform faces in photographs to make them appear older, younger, etc. It sounds innocent enough, and it quickly became a hot item in the Apple and Google stores. However, it wasn’t long before privacy experts sent up red flags. Not unlike some other apps, FaceApp has the ability to share information from your phone with others. As this can be concerning—even devastating—in an industry where privacy is essential, now is a good time to remind your employees that innocent fun can mean lost privacy and serious problems. … [Read more...] about Innocent or Insidious? Why You Should Keep Popular Apps Off Work Devices