5Examples of Successful HR

Innovation
5 Examples of Successful HR Innovation
all, most of the HR
Here at Digital HR Tech, we talka lot about HR innovation. After
such,
technology out there aims to innovate existing HR systems and processes. As
(partialy)
there are many examples of HRfunctions that have successfully been
innovated.

What is HR innovation?

HR innovation is the implementation of nevw ideas, methods, and technologies to

better neet the ever-evolving requirements of the organizaticn and its workforce.
It's about anticipating future needs and circumstances rather than simply finding a

response to achanging present situation.

in today's article, we highlight 5 examples of successful HR innovation.

1. Recruitment innovation

Good recruitmént is essential tothe success of every organization. Perhaps

thisis why we see - alot- of innovative technologies in this part of HR.
There's a solution for each part of the recruitment funnel:

Job adverts
When it comes to HR innovation, job ads are probably not the first thing that comes
tomind. Augmented writing technology now makes it possible to predict whether a
job advert (or any other type of text for that matter) you write will get you the

Outcome you want.

Let me elaborate.

In orderto be able to predict whether or not a job ad that's aimed at a certain type

of candidate wil appeal to that kind of candidate, the technology uses machine

learning and predictive arialytics.

For example, if you want to make sure your job advert won't turn off female

applicants, the use of augmented writing technology can help you increase your
chances of getting a desirable outcome. Here's an of how Textio helps improve job

adverts:

This phrase draws more

male job seekers.
Other choices:

inspired by
motivated by

driyen by
Sourcing
Programmatic job advertising is something that's blown over to HR from marketing
(like so many other things). It's the automated and targeted placement of job
adverts.

Recruiters can specify exactly what characteristics, skills, and demographics they
are looking for in a candidate. The software makes sure that the job ad is shown to

the right people, on the right platform, and at the right time.

The innovation lies - among other things - in the fact that recruiters and hiring

managersno longer need to manually select job boards (or social media platforms)
and post job adverts. It also significantly increases the recruiter's reach.

As such, programmatic job advertising can, for example, lower an organization's

cOst per application and reduce its time per hire.

Wonderkind chooses the best platforms to place your job ads.

Chatbots

It's hard not to mention chatbots in an article about HR innovation. While a chatbot

is nothing more than a piece of software - sometimes powered by artificial

intelligence - it can take care of numerous tasks. Think of sourcing, screening and
scheduling candidates for instance. Many chatbots also have natural language

processing (NLP) capabilitiesso that they can 'understand' human language.

While you may think that the use of achatbot negatively impacts your candidate
experience, it can actually be a real boost for your candidate experience and
satisfaction.

Why?

Well, because a chatbot is never out of office, for one. While we go home in the
evening and during the weekends,a chatbot is able to reply candidate questions
literally any time.

Preselection

Preselection technology enables organizations to hire selectively - and to bring

people on board whoadd value. As such, selective hiring is a Human Resource best
practice that can increase a company's profit. Pre-employment assessment
software has come a long way. No more need tomanually go through dozens -
sometimes even thousands - of CVs to make an initial selection; there are various

solutions out there that can do the heavy lifting for you. Think of an Al
powered multi-assessment platform for instance.

A what?

Let me explain.

In short: candidates go through an online experience that gives them arealistic

preview of thejob - andthe organization they'll be working for once hired. While
 the applicants flow through the assessments, data is gathered based on their
actions and answers. This data allows an algorithm to make predictions about the
applicant's suitabilityfor the job.

Recruiters can use this data-based information to make hiring decisions.

Horver's technology gives candidates a preview of their future job and work
environment.

2. Onboarding
Strictly speaking, onboarding could be considered as a part of recruitment. But
sincea candidate needs to be hired in order to be onboarded, we'll treat it as a
separate example of HR innovation.

Onboarding is something that's all too often being overlooked (and so

is inboarding by the way). Worse even, the lack of a good onboarding process is one
of thetop reasons newhires leave prematurely.

Luckily, there is HR technology that manages the entire onboarding process. Some
solutions even take over as soon as a candidate has signed his or her contract.
Hence making sure your fresh recruits don't feel like theyve fallen off the radar.

An onboarding app canorganize virtually everything related to the arrival of a new

employee. From the (tedious) paperwork to the introduction of colleagues and

company policies.Enboarder takes care of your onboarding process.

 3. Learning and development (L&D)
Another area where we see a lot of HRinnovtion is that of employee learning and
development (L&D). If they want to, organizations are now in a position to offer
their workforce on-demand, real-time learning. An L&D program that's customized
tothe preferences of each individual employee. This means that employees can
access the L&D content on anykind of device and learn about things that are in line
with their personal career goals.

In an erawith an increasingly diverse andmobile workforce, this is an important

development. And a must for organizations wanting to attract - and retain - top
talent.

SimpliLearn offers employees self-paced, interactive learning courses.

4. Talent management
When we talk about talent management and HR innovation, one of the first things
that come to mind is the talent management dashboard (TMD).

talent
A management dashboard gives recruiters and hiring managers a
comprehensive overview of their talent pool. This enables them to communicate
with and nurture their talent in order to plan for the future.

ATalent Management Dashboard has 5 main functions:

> Reporting
> Performance management

> Engagement with talent

> L&D

>Talent pipeline

5. Performance management
Although theréis alot of innovation going on in performance management-land,
today we focus on the feedback part.

the one
We've come along way from the awkward, yearly appraisal chat. You know,
does on a
with the manager that hardly knows what the employee in front them
day-to-day basis (even though this phenomenon still exists in too many
organizations): Fortunately, there are a lot of companies that understand the

importance of performance management and feedback done differentiy.

With real-time, 360 degree feedback for example.

Today's performance management technology enables organizations to let their

employees - and managers - give and receive continuous feedback. The software
tracks people's progress andgives valuable insights into their progress. This helps
managers to supporttheir employees when necessary. It also creates a culture of
coaching between peers.

HR innovation is crucial
 These 5 examples are just the tip of the iceberg. For each.HRfunction we
mentioned there are at least adozen other examples of HR innovation. And thats a
good thing. The way we work -in the broadest sense of the word - is changing

rapidly: from the type of jobs we have to the places we work from and even the way

we get paid (think cryptocurrencies). So while the adoption of HR technology by

organizations may be lagging behind, theneed for HR innovation is clearly there.

Can't wait? Start innovating now!

I'm sure that you can't wait to start implementing some of these innovations within
your organization. Don't just copy paste these inspiring examples though. Start by
identifying which technologies are most likely to have an impact on 'the business'
and develop a clear strategy for Digital HR. Not sure how to go about drafting such
astrategy? Check out the Digital HR Strategy course and start today!

20 Innovative Ways To Keep

Your Employees Motivated
Asthe company owner, youhave that entrepreneurial
streak, that will to succeed. You can see the big
picture and have a clear viewof where youwant the
company tobe in 5 years time.
 The big problem comes when you can't seem to translate that enthusiasm and drive to
your team. They're qualified and hardworking, but they just don't really seem that fussed
what happens to the company. You want them to be resilient, driven and - above all
else - as motivated to succeed as you are.

But how do youget your team motivated and productive when they're involved in the
daily drudgery of making things happen? Don't worry, we've got 20 ideas to help you
Out.

1. Incentivise quality
Ahandshake and athank you are nice, but money in the wallet is one of the best
motivators of employee success.

You can:

Focus on aspects of work quality over speed, or you risk encouraging staff to cut corners
inorder to perform faster.
Create amulti-tiered system where employees earn badges or tokens for meeting
certain goals. These are then added up at the end of the year to determine some bonus
or prize. Rather than one huge goal, breaking things down intosmaller chunks helps
your team to achieve more.

Build performance incentives into your salary package so your team know upfront wha!
they can potentially expect.
Openly discuss and set the goal post for incentives with yOur team each year, so
everyone is onthe same page.

2. Sell the company to your team

Enabling employees to buy stock in the company (or making vested shares part of their
salary package) can be an incredible way to empower and motivate your workforce.
Your team have a literal stake in the company, so they will directly profit from the
Company's success.
As part of Xero's employment package, all full-time staff are given shares in the
company that vest over three years. It's another reason why it's so cool to work here!

3. Encourage learning
Get your team excited to learn new skills. Continually stimulating the brain with new
information helps keep your team sharp, as well as showing them you're serious about
developing their careers:

You can:

Discuss team members strengths and weaknesses and where they might have gaps in
their learning.
Take suggestions for potential plugs to skill gaps in the team.
Offer time for directed and self-directed learning, by setting aside time for staff to attend
classes or work through online courses.
Investigate certification for various skills, so that team members can gain qualifications
that reflect their skills.

4. Support and encourage new ideas

Create an environment where employees can make suggestions for improvement at
any level of the business. Making suggestions or sharing ideas is a sign your
employees care about the company, so celebrate and reward this!

Youcan:

Implement an online or physical "suggestion box" allowing everyone to post suggestions

(and remain anonymous if they wish).
Approach team members directly to ask them if they have any ideas.
Allowyour team members to run with their ideas as time and cost allow - even if they
don't end up with positive results, there will be valuable lessons learned.
5. Offer flexible work times

These days, work/life balance is a huge consideration for employees. With families,
friends, hobbies, personal projects, startups and other commitments to juggle, having
the flexitbility to enable work to fit around life - instead of the other way around - can be
a huge motivation to succeed.

Also, on a physiological level, different people function better at different times of the
day. Some get their best work done first thing in the morning, while others can power
through in the late evening.

You can:

Alow team members tochoose flexible hours - startingearlier in the morning.or

finishing later.
Allow roles to be cut and changed to fit schedules,eg. new parents moving down to part
time hours, role-sharing, or enabling people to work longer 4-hour days.
Instigate aself-management model, such as that employed at Buffer. Team members
don't have an office, or even set hours. They work as much as they want and choose
and manage their own projects. Extreme, yes, but the team is extremely motivated and
are producing amazing results!

6. Recognise talent and hard work

When people perform at their best, one of the greatest joys that can be derived is when
someone acknowledges their hard work. If employees see youactively and tenaciously
celebratingtheir achievements, they work harder in order to continue to prove their
Worth.

You can:

Call out impressive work in a monthlynewsletter, on your webpage, or at acompany

meeting.
Align your recognition platform and incentives to your company values - focus on
awarding those who live the company values.
 Gather feedback from clients after jobs have been completed and use this as one factor
in your decision.

Ask staff tonominate team members who are excelling in their roles.
Create an annual award ceremony to recognise these achievers, and give out trophies
and prizes. Make a big deal out of it, as though it's the Oscars.
Enter team members into industry awards, and encourage them to hunt out potential
awards.

7. Celebrate personal milestones

It'sgreat to come to work on your birthday, or when something awesome has just
happened to you, and feel the support and teamwork allaround you.

Recently, one of my novels hit the USA Today bestseller list, so I brought in a cake for
the team. It's nice to be able to share good news with those around you - it makes
going to work an enjoyable experience, and happy employees are motivated
employees.

You can:

Order a cake or savoury treats when a team member celebrates a birthday. If your
budget doesn't stretch this far, then make it part of the culture that each person brings in
a cake on their birthday.
Keep a supply of branded treats" for differerit common milestones. This way you can
buy in bulk and save. Iused to work at a charity that had adivision that looked after
guide dogs,so when someone announced they were expecting a baby, they'd get a little
soft toydog branded with the company logo.
Dedicate asection of the monthly company meeting or company newsletter to various
milestones and "woohoos!" Encourage employees to dob each other in when something
awesome happens. You can even draw out one name from the woohoos each month for
aspecial treat.

8. Pair everyone up with a mentor

 And Ido mean EVERYONE. At Allen & Gerritsen -a brand strategy agency in
Massachusetts-CEO Andrew Gaff has paired his entire team up with mentors. His
mentor is 22-year-old technology strategist Eric Leist. Gaff believes that mentorships
are a valuable toolto motivate staff and encourage learning, and that you're never too
old of experienced to learn something new.

You can:

Create an in-house buddy system as part of your onboardingprocess to help new

recruits learn the ropes.
Dowhat Gaff did and pair up every member of the team with a mentor.

Or, creatèan non-compulsory leadership andmentoring programme that team members

can choose to sign up for if they're interested in growing their skills. This can be agreat
way to identify andnurture future company leaders.

9. Be transparent with the numbers

Most employees have no idea how their company is actually performing in the
marketplace, unless somethinggoes either spectacularly wellor devastatingly wrong
and they end up in the media. Instead of keeping the numbers under lock and key,
share them with your team.

You can:

Hold a monthly meeting where you present a slideshow of the numbers for the month.
This enables staff to ask questions and for you to present only a fraction of the most
important KPls.
Make all board reports, strategy documents and other information available on the staff
intranet.

Ensure these documents are in accessible formats so everyone can have access to
them who wants it.

Encourage staff to ask questions or talk to you about company performance.

10. Explore nature

They don't callit the "great" outdoors for nothing - being outside really is quite
wonderful. And, being in nature offers numerous health benefits that can improve the
wellbeing of your team. According to scientific studies, being outdoors can help cure
depression, strengthen immunity improve focus and overall outlook, and make you
happier.

You can:

Instigate walking meetings": Instead of sitting around a boardroom discussing this

month's plan, whynot discuss it on a walkaround the nearby park. Just be carefulyou're
not focusing so hard on next year's projections you miss the curb!
Have regular team-building days: that incorporate outdoor activities, such as ropes
courses, archery, or kayaking.
Create comfortable outdoor areas with trees, plants, and seating, where empioyees can
go to enjoy a nice day.

11. Don't let boredom sink in

When i get bored, Iget restless and fidgety, and that's when Istart staring out the
window and thinking the grass is greener on the other side.

You can:

Reqularly switch around tasks within ateam so everyone gets experience with different
jobs.
Help employees to manage their schedules so they have variety during the day.
Ask people if they're bored, and if so, what would make them excited about their work.
Encourage employees to look for other opportunities within the business - ie,
secondment to another department.

12. Create security

No incentive structure or "thank you" is going to help motivate your team if they don't
feel secure and happy in their work. True leaders make their team members feel safe.
as they know their job is secure, their opinions are
their personality is not open for ridicule. acknowledged and considered, and

You can:

Ensure staff working early or late have a plan in place in case something happens.
Share continuity plans with staff and implement their feedback.
Be open and transparent about company or economic issues that may impact the
Company.

Ask for staff ideas to help cut costs or generate new income if things are looking lean.
Protect jobs because you protect anything else.
Demonstrate that everyone is working together for shared goals by being present to your
staff.

13. Encourage a little friendly competition.

Competition can encourage team members to work together, pool their strengths, and
light a fire under their asses.

The keyword hre is "friendly." You don't want to tie results to bonuses or other benefits
people rely on, and you don't want a competitive spirit to get out of hand. Keep
competitions for special occasions or to create a rush of productivity - too many, too
often and staff will start feeling pressure.

You can:

Help boost morale thròugh tough work periods by dividing staff intoteam and making a
Competition out of who can complete their allotted tasks the fastest. The winning team
gets a free lunch on the Company.
Have different departments compete in an office decoration competition at Christmas
time.

Make somésocial club events costumed, with a prize for the winner.
If youdon't want staff competing against each other, then have them work together
against the clock. Sometimes Iget together with 10 other writers for a "100k sprint." We
each write down the number of works we write in a day, and add the totals up to see how
 long it takes the team to get to 100k words total. We log our scores and try to beat our
last time.

14. Start a new traditions

Traditions give people grounding, and can be a nice event to look forward to. They
create wonderful memories for staff that help them towant to stick around for many
years. They also improve motivation as they approach and people get excited about the
event.

You can:

Create an event that's not centred around the holidays. This helps break up the year
(especialy any particularly grueling patches) and gives people somethingto look forward
to. I've been with companies before who celebrate the day they were founded.
Start an annual food collection, toy drive or other charitable donation, where everyone in
the company can get involved in a big or small way.
Create a simple tradition, such as a few drinks on a friday night or a boardgames
luncheon every month.

15. Explore the outside world

Inspiration comes from everywhere, and the best inspiration doesn't come from the four
walls of your cubicle - i's about real peoplein the real world doing things.
You can:

Bring office staff to job sites for regular visits so they can see how things work on the
ground.

Spend time with your customers in focus groups and other events in order to understand
them on adeeper level.
Encourage staff to attend conferences and other events tolearn what others in the
industry are doing.
16. Create a napping retreat
We've written before about the positive health and motivational benefits of a short
nap during the day. Well, if you think your team are lookinga little sleepy, it might be an
idea to institute a napping policy.

You can:

Transform aroom or corner of your ofice into a napping retreat or quiet space.
Encourage employees to set their own schedules so they can work during their times of
peak efficiency.
Stock the kitchen with healthy, energising snacks and drinks.
Bring in a post-lunchtime yoga instructor to help staff recalibrate.

17. Force career paths (or swords, since we're

forging - let'scall them career swords)
The blade of a career sword is sharp, and expertly crafted -right from the perfectly
weighted pommel, on through the carefully foldd blade to the sharp tip.

Staff who have direction and can see their future ahead of them feel confident and safe.
This in turn makes them more motivated to do their best work.

You can:

Encourage, staff to slay their dragons and forge their own career swords by mapping out
their 5 and 10-year plans.
Restructure roles,teams and progressions in order to make the path clearer.
Encourage team members to consider other roles in the organisation, andeven actively
put them forward for such opportunities.

18. Hosta "Pets at Work" day

Everyone loves their "furbabies" - some obsessively so! (Iwrite this, with one cat
sleeping on my foot, and
the otherone trving to bat the cursor on the
make people happy, and bring a sense of family and companionship toscreen).
Pets
the office.

Youcan:

Have a rotating schedule where different people are allowed to bring their pets each day
(in order to prevent a cacophony of epic proportions).
Adopt an office pet, such as a rescue kitten who can live in the office and come home
with you at night.

19. Encourage creativity and innovation

People love to have an outlet for their creativity, evern if they're not naturaly inclined to
generate one zany idea after another. Foster an office environment that encourages
creativity to flourish, and so willyour team.

You can:

Dig deeper tofind less-than-obvious solutions to problems.

Encourage people to build on the ideas of others and add their own spin.
Be inquisitive ask questions, listen, and keep an open mind.
Have a platform - such as aslack channel- where your team can share creative
projects, articles and ideas they discover online. A lot of clever concepts develop from
sharingand discussingwhat others are doing.
Encourage self-directed projects that inspire the creativity of the whole team - such as a
poster-a-day design project for a graphic design agency. Post your creations online and
enjoy a bit of extra attention for your brand.

20. Create mini CEOs

 This is an idea borrowed from Brian Halligan. CEO of marketing software firm Hubspot.
When an employee comes up with an innovative idea, Brian will fire that employee from
their current position and appoint them the CEO of their own in-house startup.

This is a really innovative way to keep company structure flat and encourage and
empoWer leaders on your team, As Brian told Inc. when discussing his mini CEOs, "we
want to empower the edges of the organisation, and we want to let the people who
really understand our customers make decisions."

How do you motivate your team in your company? What motivation ideas do you
intend to implement to help your team achieve at the top?