If you can, and I understand if this is difficult, think about what your primary work-related goals and HR technology strategies and plans were prior to March 2020. Seems hard to think back that far, even though in “normal” times, it was not really all that long ago.
While you consider the question, I will share a major theme that was on my radar in March 2020 as I was planning the agenda for HR Tech 2020, which, like most conferences and events in the past year, transitioned to a fully virtual event. Coming out of 2019, and in Q1 of 2020, the labor market was extremely tight, unemployment was at a generational low of 3.5%, and almost all organizations, across industries and of any size, found themselves in a fierce talent competition–to source, to recruit, to onboard, to develop, and to engage and hopefully retain. Just before the pandemic hit, it may have been the most competitive talent market ever.
And in such a market, one of the ways that organizations and their HR technology providers responded was by increasing their attention to new HR technologies that were more employee-centered and that were prioritizing the employee experience.
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Fast forward to today and for many new reasons—and for some that carried over from pre-pandemic—the employee experience remains a top priority in HR tech and for HR leaders. If anything, the last 18 months have made paying attention to employees and their overall experience with the organization even more important.
We know that a significant element in creating great employee experiences where people are enabled, empowered, and supported to succeed at work is the workplace technology they rely on every day. And when something becomes elevated in importance to HR leaders, and receives increased investment in research and development from the HR tech provider market, you can be sure it will be a primary focus at the HR Technology Conference.
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In our Employee Experience track at this year’s event, you will learn from HR and HR tech leaders from such organizations as JP Morgan, T-Mobile, and Atlassian on how they are all, in their own ways, seeing the benefit of an employee experience and employee-centric approach to their HR technology programs. At HR Tech, you will be able to hear these (and other) case studies and research reports on the employee experience—and then follow up in our Expo Hall for live, hands-on demonstrations where you can engage with all the leading HR technology providers.
Learning and hearing from these experts about how employee-centered technology is the future (and the now) of HR technology in-person is one of the primary benefits of our return to an in-person event. And after all the tough times we have been through over the past 18 months, I for one am glad the employee experience remains one of the highest priorities in 2021. It’s something you will see throughout HR Tech this fall.
Learn more and register for the conference, Sept. 28-Oct. 1 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, here.