Skip to main content

Smart HR 4.0




Every few decades, a new way of technology overtakes our lives and changes the way we live. Starting from the first industrial revolution which used steam-powered engines and machinery(18th – Early 19th Centuries) was replaced by the second industrial revolution which was based on electricity. (between late 19th and mid 20th). And this was replaced by the third revolution which was mainly focused on automation drive. Every revolution has brought changes to it. So, there should be changes in this revolution too (Industry 4.0).This revolution has an impact on our professional world.

In this revolution, it has the latest trends of automation which involves products and processes ranging from driverless vehicles (i.e. Tesla, Google Self Drive cars), Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, IOT, Big Data to Cloud Computing and Smart Robotics.

With the changes that we’ve seen under the Industry 4.0 made many people ask the question “Will the technology replace people?How will it impact our work?”For sure the work we do will be changed. And also the HR functions may also be changed with this Industry 4.0. The useless functions will be thrown out and the new HR functions will be implemented with a smarter way of HR.

When we look back at the 1st Industrial Revolution’s HR functions, there was no proper HR system with them. But with the advancement of technology and society, all these have been implemented. Similarly, in this Industry 4.0, HR will be brought into a whole new level. Traditional jobs will be replaced with machinery and the technology while new job opportunities will be created for the knowledge workers related to technology.

“Industry 4.0 will stimulate significant changes in how industrial workers execute their jobs and completely new scope of jobs will be created while others totally disappear.” (Ermolaeva, 2017)

In the past, HR professionals focused on personnel functions: recruitment, payroll administration, training and development plans, and other administrative tasks. Today, HR people cannot depend only on the traditional approach. They must transform and embrace HR 4.0.

First, HR people must be able to identify the skills needed for the industry in which their organisation is active. (i.e. Digitisation) HR professionals must identify what skill sets the workforce and organisation they serve is currently lacking.

Second, HR must become more digitally focused. And the HR professionals need to keep up with technological trends as well.

“HR professionals all around the world specialists are challenged to seek and adapt into the constantly shifting organisational context that surrounds them by adopting digital concepts, platforms, technologies and management styles that can deliver sustainable results.” (Dharmasiri, 2018)

Third, HR must reconsider how they network and interact. HR professionals can no longer rely on the old ways of interaction, they must change the way they communicate with internal and external clients

In this Industry 4.0 HR professionals face challenges due to a huge amount of data we have, the rapidity of change, new business models and the smart services present in the industry. We’ll never be able to control the changes which happen in the world, but we can control how HR can lead the people within the organization and we can adapt to the changes which happens with technological revolutions.

“Human resource departments (HRD) must adapt to new technologies to adequately prepare for Industry 4.0” (Yosephine, 2018)

References


Dharmasiri, A., 2018. Transformation of HR in the digital world. [Online]
Available at: http://www.ft.lk/columns/Transformation-of-HR-in-the-digital-world/4-656403
[Accessed 05 June 2019].

Ermolaeva, A., 2017. International Business – Central European Business, s.l.: UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS IN.

Yosephine, L., 2018. The Jakarta Post. [Online]
Available at: https://www.thejakartapost.com/youth/2018/11/11/human-resources-must-adapt-to-face-industry-4-0-experts.html
[Accessed 04 June 2019].




Comments

  1. SudarshanaJune 8, 2019 at 2:49 AM

    Dear Tharindu, your nicely written article describe the need of change in HR practices in the 21st century in the backdrop of 4th industrial revolution.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why do companies hire autistic people?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that affects communication and behaviour  (Nimh.nih.gov, 2019).  People who are suffering from autistic disorders are lacking good social interactions. They make little or inconsistent eye contact. And they tend not to look at or listen to people. So why do companies hire autistic people? though they have communication issues and improper social interactions these people are having a set of unique skills and traits. People with autism will often see the world in a different way and thus they tend to enjoy the security of familiarity and routine. Its easier to manage with up with their work life. This is a positive trait in a working environment. And also they are d etail-oriented, highly analytical, and able to focus intensely on tasks. Autistic people are never distracted by social interference or environmental conditions Most of the autistic people are hired by leading tech companies(Microsoft, SAP...
8 comments
Read more

Spirituality and the JOB

Spirituality  is a broad concept with many perspectives. In general, it includes a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves. What do experts say about spirituality? According to Christina Puchalski, MD, Director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health,   (Krentzman, 2016) "Spirituality is the aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred." According to Mario Beauregard and Denyse O’Leary, researchers and authors of  The Spiritual Brain ,    (Krentzman, 2016) “Spirituality means any experience that is thought to bring the experiencer into contact with the divine (in other words, not just any experience that feels meaningful).” According to Nurses Ruth Beckmann Murray and Judith Proctor Zenter   (Krentzman, 2016) “The spiritual d...
5 comments
Read more

Management By Objective

Management by Objective (MBO) which is also known as Management by Results is a results-driven management process that aims to define objectives within an organization. So that the behaviours can be aligned with the objectives. This is a collaborative approach as both managers and employees are given objectives through collective discussion, and both have their behaviour and actions judged against the set objectives. Meeting objectives is often incentivised, often through incentive pay or indirect compensation. Management by objectives (MBO) is a  strategic management  model that aims to improve the performance of an organization by clearly defining objectives that are agreed to by both management and employees. According to the theory, having a say in goal setting and action plans encourages participation and commitment among employees, as well as aligning objectives across the organization . ( Peter Drucker ,1954 , cited in HAYES, 2019)   However...
3 comments
Read more