The Dichotomy of Hi-Tech & Hi-Touch - Or is it?

 Published on September 26, 2019

Dr. Pramod Sadarjoshi

Founder & CEO, TALENTSMITH CONSULTING, Digital HCM Strategy & Transformation, Marshall
Goldsmith Coach, Start-up Advisor

Dr. Pramod Sadarjoshi

Founder & CEO, TALENTSMITH CONSULTING,

Digital HCM Transformation & Leadership Evangelist: Start-up Architect; International Keynote
Speaker; Marshall Goldsmith Certified Executive & Business Coach; Passionate about applying Design
Thinking to Organisational Transformation

“The future belongs to those, who know where they belong” is a catchy dialogue from the
movie Divergent. This simple one-liner remained with me, well after I alighted from the Los Angeles –
Abu-Dhabi flight, during which I saw this movie. I mulled over it, and found it to be fairly profound;
and its applicability here.

It quite lays down the paradigm that shall govern the trajectory in the next decade or so. With the
‘Digital Tsunami’ well and truly on its way, almost every aspect of our life, will be impacted in a
disruptive manner. It therefore, becomes imperative, for People Leaders, to really know, what are the
nuances of the era they belong to? and how to strike a balance between Technology (the HI-TECH) &
People( the HI-TOUCH)?

John Naisbitt, in his seminal book, “MEGATRENDS” (1982) has written, the more “high tech” humans
have, more “high touch” humans want. That pretty much nails the import and the narrative, for the
professional leaders spearheading Transformation. What better function than HR which is at the
vortex of this dilemma?

The Digital Transformation of the HR function on the back of AI, Machine Learning, Bots, Blockchain
and other technologies based on Big Data and Analytics poses humungous challenges to the modern
day HCM professional. While on one hand he/she has to implement the above technology, on the
other hand, he / she has to address the corresponding culture-risk and collateral damage, which, in
turn, can land up being a prime example of ‘law of marginal returns’. Let us look at how these pan out
in the following HR functions:

1. Talent Magnetism paradox :

The ability to predict is widely desired and is linked to talent acquisition

Prediction is the second most widely preferred AI feature because it is a major component of HCM
professionals’ jobs. It is critical that they are able to predict variety of factors, such as:

• Which job candidates will make the best hires?

• Which employees are most likely to leave the organization?

• What kind of compensation packages are most likely to lead to employee retention?

• What the need and availability will be for employees with certain skill sets?

• Which benefit packages are most likely to appeal to employees?

The one domain worth focusing on is talent acquisition. Talent acquisition was the third most widely
cited area where AI has the opportunity to improve the HR function. Even more interesting, 59% of AI-
knowledgeable respondents chose talent acquisition, making it the second most widely chosen item
among that cohort. Successful talent acquisition largely hinges on predictive ability. AI-based
algorithms can be used to scan work samples, resumes and other materials and then predict which
ones are most likely to lead to good hires. Moreover, AI can potentially be used to analyze and
predict, based on a range of other types of data, from online candidate profiles to word choice and
even facial expressions. (Source: Research by HR.COM)

The Hi-Touch: With the millennial workforce, it will be imperative for to treat TALENT as a CUSTOMER.
This implies absolute humility, openness, and visible equitability in hiring and onboarding. There is a
plethora of research and articles to show that the ‘millennial’ generation of workforce would demand
professional and respectful ‘treatment’, from the employers. CUSTOMER-CENTRICITY with respect to
talent acquisition will ensure the TALENT-MAGNETISM – a key factor.

2. Talent Management dynamics:

Talent Analytics forms the core of Talent Management; and the ability to analyze is the most widely
preferred AI feature, by the HCM professionals. This is mainly on account of a) artificial intelligence,
especially in the area of machine learning, is analytical in nature and based on computers’ ability to
“crunch numbers” much more quickly than any human being can, and b) AI-based analytics tools have
been many of the first AI products adopted by HR. When asked as to which features they would most
like to see in an AI-powered HR application, the findings are as :
(Source: Research by HR.COM titled: The State of Artificial Intelligence in HR)

As per similar studies in HR, the tools designed to help HR leaders understand and predict the impact
of talent decisions were among the first to hit the market and now help forecast employee flight risk,
identify high-potential employees, unearth engagement issues, recommend learning courses and
more. In other words, AI-based HR analytics can be applied across a wide range of HR functions.

The Hi-Touch: Creating an 'arresting Eco-system' - a lethal blend of equitable compensation,

knowledge investment & tangible, visible growth progression. All this under the umbrella of
"evidence-based talent management"

3. Business Transformation & Culture Sustainability – balancing act between Planet, Profit and People

In the same survey as mentioned above, when asked as to which are the areas where AI has the
greatest potential to improve the HR function in the next five years, the findings were as follows:
(Source: Research by HR.COM titled: The State of Artificial Intelligence in HR)

The Hi-Touch: To ensure sustainability of the above three, it is imperative to have it all embedded in
the DNA of the organisation. This calls for culture diagnostics & resultant transformation just so that it
cascades down uniformly & consistently, across SBUs, Horizontals, Verticals & Geos. Having built the
robust Eco system it is imperative that the science of Change-Management needs to be applied with
its entire granularity, to ensure that the talent strategy is executed with ruthless precision.

Based on the strategic and transformational interventions, which I have spearheaded in some of the
marquee, global organisations, the above-mentioned, form the fulcrum of future-focused HCM pivot.
Today's disruptive, digital economy presents an excellent opportunity, for the HCM function
professionals, to showcase themselves as the ‘quintessential differentiators’, in catapulting
organisations into the next higher orbit of business excellence. In the years to come, that will be the
‘VECTOR’, organisations will have to navigate though.

Moot Question: Is the human side of HR still relevant in today’s digital-driven world?

Well, how can one build and sustain a positive organisation, if the human side, is neglected, under the
pretext of Digital HCM, Bots, Machine-augmentation et al? If anything the digital-driven world should
enable the employees live a fulfilling life at work-pace, leading to satisfied personal life too.
Neutralizing TRUST-DEFICIT – the most visible manifestation of HI-TOUCH Culture

Just as in business the customers want to do business with people they know and TRUST, so is it in the
case of employees. They want to work for Organisations they can TRUST – for its fairness and
transparency, capability building, career progression, nurturing ethos, and most importantly in
creating a sizzling, positive culture. Notwithstanding HI-TECH ambience and implementation, the
periodic face-to-face contact strengthens the trust level – which is quintessential for sustainability.

In conclusion, if the organisations would like to be on CLOUD (the Hi-Tech), they will have to ensure
that their people are on ‘CLOUD-9’ (the Hi-Touch). :)