Why should HR embrace digitalization instead of people?

Some years ago, I ran a CSR training, which I can summarise in one main idea: the leaders should be working for a sustainable business. Since then, many voices have appeared in the public space to express their full commitment to develop a sustainable business at a global and local level.

But what does sustainable mean? A business has to generate the same amount of profit and care for a greater impact into the local environment, in long-term, to ensure a healthy supply chain. If your business provides medical services, the focus should be equally distributed to the following business partners: clients or patients, providers, employees, authorities. This implies asking for their feedback on the way you collaborate with them and to address the findings.

If your clients are complaining about the long waiting time in the lobby necessary for checking-in to the clinic, you may find that you lack reception personnel. But nowadays, check-in can be done online by each client from home, just like airports are using this system for years already. Why couldn’t a similar solution  work for your business?

If your providers are claiming they found errors during reconciliation sessions, you may find that the volume of primary accounting documents has increased significantly during last year, and that a higher personnel fluctuation was registered, seeing that the professionals were looking for value-added activities. So, instead of finding people to perform these manual tasks, why not automatise those processes and redesign the accounting and finance functions to generate the adding value the business is looking for.

But what do you do when the feedback from the medical personnel is that they are dealing daily with clients that shouldn’t be visiting them, but other specialists or not at all. Based on this feedback you identify that the scheduling is done based on the client request without any pre-screening of the real need. Instead of instructing the call center personnel, why not install a robot to redirect each call to the right specialist? Another better solution is to be counseled by a 24/7 available telemedicine service.

If your HR team is hardly managing the hiring and leaving processes due to the high fluctuation rate at the entry-level jobs, you may find that you can automate the leaving processes with direct registration in the REVISAL portal after the changes are operated into the existing HR system.

I can continue with the business examples to underline that HR should embrace digitalization and should be a promoter of business digitalization. This brings value to the business allowing its employees to focus on complex activities. This way the business will not face service interruptions in the short and long term. 

On the other hand, remember that the businesses that are working to become more agile in each process will be the ones creating a memorable experience with all their partners.