How Mobile Technology Impacts the HR Industry

We use mobile devices for nearly everything, from shopping and researching to scheduling our daily lives. In fact, more than 85 percent of U.S. Millennials own a smartphone and use it frequently throughout the day.

Businesses are already optimizing their use of mobile technology to reach their customers, and to make their employees work lives more efficient, but there’s one area where they’re overlooking a huge opportunity: Human resources. 

Mobile Use for HR Needs

Considering how tethered many of us are to our smartphones, it should come as no surprise that employees appreciate mobile access to information as much as customers. A recent study by ADP found that 37 percent of mobile users rely on their smartphones to access pay information through an HR app. That’s a significant chunk of the workforce already turning to mobile solutions—and those numbers will only continue to grow.

I’ve said for years that the world is growing evermore global and mobile and HR has to be, too. To reach the right talent, you need to be mobile-friendly in design and ease of usage. HR should always go where the talent is – and these days it’s on mobile.

Harnessing the power of mobile—and cloud technology—will provide business with opportunities to make huge changes for the better.

Use Technology to Attract a Younger Workforce

Baby Boomers are quickly reaching retirement, and the new workforce is made up of tech-savvy Millennials—with the equally savvy Generation Z not far behind.

These younger professionals have a different perspective, work ethic, and set of expectations for employment. Mobility is their calling card; one study by Aruba Networks found that the “#GenMobile” demographic prefers flexibility when it comes to where they work, and when. An estimated 37 percent of workers telecommute full-time, with the average worker telecommuting two days a month. Technology has given us not just mobile devices, but also a mobile lifestyle.

Competition in the job market is fierce; businesses are clamoring to find the best talent, wherever it may be. Many companies are changing their HR processes to attract and retain workers—not just by tossing around perks like flexible hours or unlimited vacation days, but also through the smart use of mobile technology.

Mobile HR Apps

Mobile HR apps help put data at employees’ fingertips—but what does that really mean? Here’s an example: ADP’s mobile app already has more than two million downloads, and less than two percent of customers have opted out of the service. The ADP app allows employees to access data like pay information anytime, anywhere.

This kind of 24/7/365 connectivity is important to a generation of wired-in (or, more precisely, wireless) professionals. To take this example a little further, let’s have a look at what else employees can do with the ADP app:

• View payroll statements.
• Clock in and out.
• Send messages if they’re running late or going to be absent.
• Request time off.
• Track their schedules.
• Review benefits, savings accounts, and spending accounts.
• Create or revise timesheets.

Mobile Recruiting

Mobile technology isn’t just affecting how employees access information; it’s changing the way businesses recruit new employees. According to Capterra, a free service to help companies find the right software, 2016 will be the year more HR tools offer mobile functionality and HR professionals use their mobile devices to apply, recruit and work. Capterra projects that those numbers will continue to grow in 2016 as more of online activities move to mobile.

According to Deloitte’s Global mobile consumer survey, 97 percent of adults aged 18-24 check their mobile phones within three hours of waking up and check their mobile devices an average of 74 times per day. The same research reveals that 50 percent of users of all ages check their phones one last time, 15 minutes before going to sleep. Mobile is where the people (and the candidates) are and where they will be in increasing numbers as time goes on.

Social media platforms, like LinkedIn and Facebook, are quickly becoming the go-to way for businesses to find and communicate with potential candidates. An Aberdeen study found that 73 percent of 18-34-year-olds found their last job through a social network and 89 percent of recruiters have hired an employee through LinkedIn.

Undoubtedly, mobile technology and apps have made a huge impact on both internal and external HR functions.

Consumer products and technology have conditioned us to use mobile for a variety of needs, and employees expect the same responsiveness and ease of use in workplace applications. Mobile apps are beneficial across the board: They bring your business into the 21st century, increase HR accessibility, and allow you to reach a wider audience for recruiting, communication, and marketing.

Mobile is fast becoming the rule rather than the exception. Businesses need to get moving on the implementation of mobile technology throughout all departments, especially HR.

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