In a recent webinar hosted by ECCI and Zing HR, industry experts convened to explore the critical intersection of HR technology, organizational agility, and business outcomes. Titled “Boosting Agility in ROI: How HR Tech Transforms Your Organization,” this session featured global thought leaders who shared actionable insights on leveraging technology for impactful HR transformation.
Expert Perspectives on HR Tech Evolution
The panel included Steve Goldberg, a globally recognized HR technology expert with over 30 years of experience, and Alvanson So, Regional People Lead at Canva Philippines, moderated by Rajat Luthra, COO of Southeast Asia at ZingHR. Their diverse backgrounds enriched the discussion, providing a comprehensive view of the evolving landscape of HR technology.
The Foundation of Organizational Agility
Steve Goldberg emphasized that organizational agility goes beyond mere adaptability. He stated, “You want to be ahead of both business risks and opportunities.” Organizations that excel in agility often find themselves in the top quartile of financial performance within their industries. However, achieving this level of success requires more than just technology; it necessitates a cultural foundation built on trust, information sharing, and collaboration.
Technology as an Enabler of Change
The discussion highlighted several key ways technology facilitates organizational transformation:
- Organizational Network Analysis (ONA): Understanding influence patterns and mentorship relationships within the organization.
- Skills and Job Mapping: Creating clear pathways for career development and organizational mobility.
- Change Readiness Assessment: Utilizing intelligent surveys and data analysis to gauge and enhance change preparedness.
The Human Side of Digital Transformation
Alvanson So shared valuable insights from Canva’s impressive growth journey, emphasizing the critical role of employee experience in technology implementation. He remarked, “As we scaled from 700 to over 5,200 employees, we recognized that technology should enhance, not hinder, the work experience.”
To maximize the benefits of digital transformation, organizations should focus on:
- Seeking Employee Feedback: Regularly gathering input to identify pain points and areas for improvement.
- Ensuring User-Friendly Tools: Implementing intuitive technologies that enhance employee satisfaction.
- Providing Training and Support: Equipping employees with the skills needed to navigate new systems confidently.
- Encouraging Open Communication: Fostering dialogue about technology changes to make employees feel valued and involved.
By prioritizing these aspects, companies can create an environment where technology empowers employees, driving both engagement and organizational success.
Key Insights for HR Leaders
Several crucial takeaways emerged for HR professionals aiming to drive successful tech transformation:
- Focus on Problem Definition:
- Invest 90% of your time in identifying the problem and 10% in fixing it.
- Ensure technology solutions address real organizational needs.
- Align technology implementation with specific business outcomes.
- AI’s Role in HR Transformation
- Personalization of employee experience.
- Prescriptive analytics for informed decision-making.
- Predictive insights for workforce planning.
- Content curation for learning and development.
- Enhanced understanding of workforce dynamics.
- Experts emphasized that effective change management is crucial for successful HR tech implementation:
- Develop clear communication strategies about the purpose of change.
- Build trust through transparency regarding data usage and privacy.
- Support middle managers as key enablers of transformation.
Looking Ahead: The Future of HR Tech
The panel concluded with insights into emerging trends that will shape HR technology:
- Increased focus on employee-centric solutions.
- The growing importance of AI-enabled decision support.
- Enhanced emphasis on measuring tangible business outcomes.
- Greater integration of HR tech with overall business strategy.
Practical Implications
For organizations looking to maximize their HR tech investments, the experts recommended:
- Starting with a clear problem definition before selecting solutions.
- Ensuring technology enhances rather than complicates existing processes.
- Building strong stakeholder management capabilities.
- Focusing on measurable business outcomes.
- Maintaining a balance between technology and the human touch.
Conclusion
The webinar underscored that successful HR tech transformation requires a balanced approach—combining technological capability with human-centered design and robust change management practices. As organizations continue to evolve, the ability to leverage HR technology while prioritizing employee experience will be crucial for sustained success.
This webinar was the first installment in an ongoing series exploring HR transformation and technology. Stay tuned for upcoming sessions that will delve deeper into specific aspects of HR tech implementation and organizational development.
About the Webinar Organizers
About ZingHR
ZingHR is a global HR technology leader recognized in Gartner’s Customer Choice quadrant with 4.7 ratings and accelerated by Microsoft. Trusted by over 1100+ customers and 2M+ users worldwide, ZingHR offers a comprehensive, cloud-based HR management system (HRMS) designed for the entire employee lifecycle. Leveraging technologies like AI, blockchain, and machine learning, ZingHR delivers innovative solutions tailored to specific industries and supports 26 global languages, including those in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Beyond basic HR functionalities, ZingHR helps organizations achieve tangible success in ESG goals, financial performance, employee engagement, and employee experience. With a collaborative approach and a focus on measurable results, ZingHR empowers businesses to transform their HR operations and drive sustainable growth.
For more information, please visit https://www.zinghr.com/
About ECCI
ECCI drives performance excellence among businesses in Southeast Asia through a process improvement service stack covering consulting, training, technology solutions, and learning outsourcing. We bring a 25-year track record, experience serving 1000+ customers in 20+ countries, and a strong management systems approach to solving business problems.
Our partnerships with best-in-class technology companies help drive sustained excellence for our customers. As a solutions provider with instructional design capability and subject matter expertise in niche areas, we help organizations implement learning strategies and design learning content for improved performance.
To learn more about ECC International, check: https://www.eccinternational.com/
