HR Technology at the forefront of meaningful change

Technology at the forefront of meaningful change

Brian Donn, Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand, Ceridian, looks at the data on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and asks what is needed to create meaningful change.

DEI has become a strategic priority for organisations around the world. Now, more than ever, employees want to work for companies that share their values. Not only do they want to be treated fairly, they also want to be a part of an organisation they believe will have a positive effect on their life and the broader community.

As McKinsey’s latest research shows, DEI directly affects a company’s bottom line: diverse companies are likely to outperform less diverse peers in terms of profitability. And executives are clearly taking note. In its analysis of S&P 500 earnings calls, Harvard Business Review found that, since 2018, the frequency with which CEOs talk about equity, fairness and inclusion has increased by 658 per cent.

Despite these trends, Ceridian’s 2022 Pulse of Talent Report reveals only 13 per cent of surveyed workers in New Zealand consider their organisation a leader in DEI. Furthermore, 27 per cent suggest, despite often hearing about their organisation’s DEI strategy, they don’t see results reflected in workforce culture.

So, the question remains, what does it take to create meaningful change?

Building a DEI culture that can withstand constant change requires more than a mission statement. To go beyond lip service, business and HR leaders need to abandon outdated processes and leverage technologies that use the latest advances in machine learning, data analysis and artificial intelligence to produce real, actionable results. This will help create equitable and efficient outcomes, and make their organisation more human, agile and innovative.

Here are three ways you can get started.

Building a DEI culture that can withstand constant change requires more than a mission statement.

Harness employee feedback to drive change

Creating an equitable and diverse workplace culture in line with a holistic employee experience requires constant feedback. As most know, cultural shifts take time. Organisations should set benchmarks to track progress and assess how their efforts are moving the needle. To truly consider all perspectives, creating mechanisms for employees to anonymously share feedback is critical.

Despite these trends, Ceridian’s 2022 Pulse of Talent Report reveals only 13 per cent of surveyed workers in New Zealand consider their organisation a leader in DEI.

For example, deploying companywide pulse surveys will arm leaders with the information needed to make smarter decisions and help reduce patterns of discrimination or bias within a particular area of the business. Anonymous feedback via an employee pulse survey can help substantiate the need for immediate action on smaller, more pressing issues as well as inform long-term strategies. HR leaders and managers can encourage employees to use engagement and check-in tools to facilitate conversations and transparently communicate how they’re feeling.

Leverage innovative HR software

Technology can help workplaces make significant strides to gather and assess data for more informed decision making. A few ways businesses can implement technology include:

• predictive analytics during the talent screening and acquisition process

• conversational artificial intelligence (AI) for more comprehensive workforce engagement using text messages, chatbots and other channels

• intelligent aggregation of ‘people data’ across the organisation, to unlock actionable insights, such as improved opportunity matching

• AI-powered applicant tracking systems that can help dramatically reduce bias in the hiring process.

As remote and hybrid work continues to blur the lines between professional and personal life, the time is now for employers to make proactive efforts to support workers both in and out of the workplace. This is only possible when organisations have access to data that provides holistic insights into the current state of their workforce. the way people work and interact with one another. However, a lot of the training models aren’t relevant to the specific organisation or align with broader diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that the business already has in place.

Companies should focus on training that aligns with the organisation. On top of this, it is critical leaders communicate on why training is taking place, problems that need to be solved and what comes next. This transparency will ensure employees are motivated and can see how learnings tie back to broader company goals.

Harvard Business Review found that, since 2018, the frequency with which CEOs talk about equity, fairness and inclusion has increased by 658 per cent.

The integration of HR technology with DEI processes will help companies integrate a forward-thinking approach to create meaningful and long-term change across the organisation.

The time to act as HR and business leaders is now.

Brian Donn is the Managing Director of Ceridian in Australia and New Zealand. With more than 20 years of market experience, Brian has held leadership positions across the Asia-Pacific region, including Oracle, Verint Systems Inc, KANA Software and Sword Group. At Ceridian, Brian is focused on empowering customers with the digital transformation of their people processes in a constantly changing world of work.