5 ways HR can boost its digital game

The digital workforce isn't just made up of millennials who treat their smartphones as if they were extra limbs. It's the concept of a virtual equivalent to the brick-and-mortar workplace. This encompasses employees who work remotely, travel internationally on business and those who rely on the internet to do their job. Many of us are digital workers these days.

The digital workplace therefore needs to be considered and managed properly, just like its traditional counterpart, according to the new Oracle report "The Digital Employee and You". The paper considers the interactions that modern consumers now have with companies and businesses in 2017's online marketplace. Digital employees have come to expect flexibility and data-driven responses from all services in their lives, and HR support is no different. They demand more from their HR than the generations of workers before them.

Savvy HR practitioners don't see this as an overwhelming workload increase, but rather a chance to make themselves more compatible and needed. They know that to get and keep the best digital employees that the labour market has to offer, they have to deliver a modern HR experience. By embracing the state-of-the-art solutions that the digital employee demands, HR professionals could help to increase their efficiency.

Here are some ways to do just that.

1. Personalise your communication.

Perhaps the most significant way HR can evolve and be in sync with its digital workforce is not to force its method of communication on them but adapt to theirs. For example, digital employees tend to respond more positively to personal attempts at reaching out to them. So only send them relevant, meaningful information.

2. Data can help with building relationships.

There's a need to back up what you say with data. Get hold of as much data as you can, triage it, and then use it to assess and anticipate the digital employee's needs and to substantiate any recommendations you may make to them in feedback sessions. It's also advisable to increase the frequency with which you provide feedback because the digital workforce often works odd hours and appreciates not being left out of the loop on their performance. It helps them to feel connected to the company when they're not in the office.

3. Take time out in real life.

To the same end, it's worthwhile to invest your time in building individual relationships with each digital employee offline. This helps to bridge the divide that virtual workspaces can sometimes create. Find a way to manage and store the additional information you get from developing these relationships, which will help reinforce the personal touch for future communications.

4. Flexibility is your friend.

If there's one thing that digital employees universally value, it's flexibility. Make the HR services you offer more convenient by allowing the workforce to access HR resources on demand from the cloud at any location. Whether this means automating simple transactions and accessing workplace resources — for example, giving employees instant access to important HR information via their phone — the cloud enables those in the field access to the same tools as those in the office. It also provides the ability to make effective decisions and conduct business regardless of location or time of day.