During HR Tech in Las Vegas this week, conference organizers unveiled more details for next year’s first-ever HR Technology Conference Europe. Set for May 2-3 in Amsterdam, the event will feature keynote addresses from industry analyst Josh Bersin, people analytics leader David Green, Aptitude Research’s Madeline Laurano and Recruiting Brainfood’s Hung Lee.
The conference is expected to draw thousands of HR and tech innovators, analysts, thought leaders and more from around the globe to share best practices and hear from experts like the keynoters on the most pressing challenges facing the HR technology community.
Rebecca McKenna, senior vice president, HR portfolio at global content-based firm ETC, which is organizing the event, says the keynoters “represent some of the industry’s top voices, and we’re thrilled to have them contribute to our first European event.”
Keep an eye here for updates and registration opportunities.
HR tech can ‘capture’ workforce potential
How people work is changing, and for many HR leaders, getting the right person in the right job is their most significant challenge. Yet half of all global candidates say they want something other than full-time employment.
Within four years, 50% of the U.S. workforce will be freelance, according to Betsy Summers, principal analyst on the Future of Work team specializing in HCM at Forrester. She told an audience at HR Tech this week that the current workforce is underutilized, but “HR tech can capture” this potential for employers.
But, she warned, digital transformation isn’t enough. Employers need to “get out of pivot despair and revive their HR function,” said Summers. She advised HR leaders to prioritize holistic strategies tied to business goals.
Her reminder is this: Nothing holistic can happen on its own, so while combing through solutions, platforms, data and ideas this week, take a breather and keep the big picture in mind.
Advancing at Pitchfest
An HR management firm and a compliance tracking solution on Wednesday morning joined the list of startups headed to the final round of the annual HR Tech Pitchfest competition later this week.
Meanwhile, Wednesday afternoon’s session saw an employee data integration company and a peer-to-peer support tool.
On Wednesday morning, HR Geckos, which aims to help leaders move from a paper-based process to an automated one, and VirgilHR, a compliance tracking solution, beat out nine other startups and join Manifest, a digital solution for transferring retirement funds, and Collabwork, a TA tool that uses referrals, in the final round.
Wednesday’s other two spots, given out in the afternoon, went to Aragorn AI, which streamlines data integration between employees and vendors, and Sholder, a platform that offers mental health and wellbeing support through organic, one-on-one contacts.
The last round will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday.
The winner will receive $25,000 from the Randstad Innovation Fund and a free booth at next year’s HR Technology Conference and Exposition. A second prize of $5,000, also sponsored by Randstad, will be awarded for the best innovative use of AI.
Top Products innovation winner ‘lighthearted, even at work’
The 13 winners of HRE’s Top HR Tech Products of the Year picked up their awards Tuesday as the first day of HR Tech wrapped up.
New this year was additional recognition for one product with a surprise award: Excellence in HR Tech Innovation 2023. RemoteBridge, which the judges described as a fun and easy-to-use solution for onboarding, won the new award for the top spot. Company co-founder Alex Sheshunoff picked up RemoteBridge’s two awards and confirmed that fun is part of the goal.
“We try to not have things be super serious all the time,” Sheshunoff told HRE. “And people are looking for something a little more lighthearted, and even at work. And so I think our timing is right.”
See RemoteBridge on the Expo Hall floor in booth 7102 at the HR Technology Conference & Exposition 2023. Explore the complete list of Top HR Technology Products of the Year here.
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HRE Managing Editor Jen Colletta, HR Editor Dawn Kawamoto and Digital Content Editor Jonathan Tully contributed to this column.
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