The Rebellious Future of HR - Blockchain Technology & Chatbots ?

The next Evolution in HR Technology will be far more rebellious than the milder revolutions in the previous historical periods. No new technology since the dawn of the internet has captured the imagination like Blockchain and Chatbots.

Imagine your TA team asks SIRI to find the next applicant for a certain role or ability of SIRI to do a compensation analysis based on your voice commands. Imagine you know for sure that each and every word written in a person’s resume is 100% correct and it’s next to impossible to counterfeit Resumes. Things are indeed moving ahead towards these directions.

In fact, Recruit Technologies and Ascribe announced in April 2016, a strategic alliance to bring Blockchain Technology to the Human Resources industry to increase transparency and in turn address fraud in HR credentials. They are investigating the possibilities and practical uses of how Blockchain Technology can be applied to the human resources sector; they will begin by developing a prototype resume authentication database for hypothetical job hunters.

Blockchain

This is the technology used by Bitcoins but its usage extends beyond the realms of the digital currency. In 2008, an enigmatic developer going by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto launched bitcoin, the first electronic cash that didn’t rely on a central reserve bank. Blockchain provides a decentralized database, or “digital ledger”, of transactions that everyone on the network can see. This network is essentially a chain of computers that all must approve an exchange before it can be verified and recorded. It is similar to a ledger kept by a bank and controlled by bank.

Infographic Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/06/blockchain-explained-simply/

This same technology is being explored by a few HR Tech Partners who are exploring its possibilities and benefits. This technology can remove the burden from HR for background checks, validating documents, employee history, and job experiences. There can be a decentralized digital HR ledger which will have record of all information which can be stored in blocks in the HR systems and no forgeries can be accepted.

Chatbots

Companies like Microsoft, Overstock are using Chatbots in some basic form for leave scheduling, mining corporate directories etc. However the true potential require next level of artificial intelligence and true potentials are limited only to imagination.Bot’s can be made to act as true employee assistants where it can help in employee onboarding and engagement. Also these bots will appeal to the tech savvy younger generation.

While we continue to bring in technology and automate the mundane and repetitive activities in HR, the biggest challenge will be not to forget about human touch. The potential uses are almost limitless and this is just the beginning. Let the Disruption Begin.