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DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES RESHAPING HRM FUNCTION IN HIGHER

EDUCATION

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DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES RESHAPING HRM FUNCTION IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Mahendra Saxena, President, Doon Business School Group

Nikhita Saxena, Executive Director, Holobotyx Media Pvt Ltd

Digital technologies have been rapidly adopted by business enterprises in some form or other during
the last decade. With regard to digital technologies, we relate to four major related application groups
namely:

1. Big Data Analytics

2. HR Intelligence & Automation
3. AI, ML, NLP, Algorithms, Bots and Robotics.
4. Near Reality technologies-AR, VR, Holographic and Digital Humans.

Faster processing power in mobiles and computing devices supported by rapidly evolving telecom
networks and cheaper cloud storage led to rapid adoption of Digital technologies.

Collectively, these applications have not only disrupted the processes of business enterprises but have
impacted higher education institutions as well that were forced to bring changes in learning
design(curriculum, pedagogies & content) transactional processes on & off campus, research
dimensions and industry connect. Digital technologies transformed the way enterprises worked and
created new skills and content thereby disrupting the entire value chain of the functional components
like marketing, finance, strategy & HR. While adoption in businesses has been moderately fast because
of market facing compulsions, higher education institutions have been slow to change, and much
slower to adopt changes has been the HR practice that continues along the traditional pathways.
Though many researchers have been studying the interfaces between technology and HRM(Hannon,
Jeff, & Brandes, 1996; Ruel, Bondarouk, & Looise, 2004; Strohmeier, 2009; Marler & Fisher, 2013;
Bondarouk, Parry, & Furtmueller, 2017) we shall in this chapter discuss how each application group is
and may impact the way people work (Colbert, Yee, & George, 2016; Habraken & Bondarouk, 2017)
and are managed in a digital economy in the context of higher education institutions. In the end, we
shall also pose questions for researchers related to some futuristic developments in technology that
can significantly impact HR function.

A. Big Data Analytics

Modern ERP solutions are able to capture all data generated by an institution. The need for
accreditation and shift towards Outcome based Education has stressed institutions to capture data
down to an hour of engagement of each student. Diversity in pedagogies and additional certifications
through open digital platforms like Coursera and Swayam has further expanded the data a university
has to process and draw insights for further improvement. Institutional HR professionals now have to
rely on modern data analytics tools for structuring, mining, visualization and simulation for predicting
various performance indicators and initiating timely corrective action for the institution to remain on
track for achieving its objectives.
A significant fallout of faster computing technology adopted by industry has been on the curriculum
and programs developed by universities to remain aligned with industry requirements, thereby
impacting HR function to develop new job profiles with totally different skillsets. Adoption of analytics
by industry across all functions and processes and the high dynamism in development of new apps
and automation-oriented processes has led to continuous evolution & innovation of job profiles and
inherent skillsets. While earlier analytics was reactive with a significant time-lag, industry 4.0 and
upcoming industry 5.0 paradigm has embedded analytics in processes forcing professionals to
broaden their perspective towards decisions and prescriptive actions in a time frame of few days over
several weeks earlier. These developments led HR analytics to the centre-stage of institutional
planning & monitoring. Rapidly changing business environment, ever evolving tools facilitating
business excellence further created micro-components under the broader umbrella of HR analytics
such as Talent analytics, attrition risk analytics, compensation analytics, response analytics, salary
forecasting and behavioural analytics etc.(Harris, Craig, & Light, 2011). Bassi(2011) considers HR
analytics as as a group of sophisticated solutions based on predictive models and what-if scenarios. As
people manage different transactions and move processes, they have a direct impact on important
business decisions (Mondare, Douthitt, & Carson, 2011).

However, other than curricular expansion & restructuring, universities have been slow adopters of
various tools and apps thereby creating an experiential lag in students and their employability
quotient. One of the important requirements for success of HR analytics is availability of trained
professionals (Angrave et al., 2016; Giuffrida, 2014). Universities need to intensify connect with
industry to get their faculty trained through industry internships and also in companies using analytics
software and apps to offer faculty insight about experiential parameters and initiate a cascading effect
on students.
B. IoT, Intelligence & Automation

IoT sensors are increasingly being adopted in large format stores and malls to generate data on
shoppers movement, engagement with products displayed or on counters, in the form of heat maps,
enabling store managers to formulate strategies for product displays and catch shoppers attention to
sales promotions. Likewise, universities with sprawling campuses, that have integrated IoT sensors,
digital boards and digital sign-on identity cards which also double up as payment wallet, together with
relevant apps, generate huge data for student behaviour, movement, time spent at facilities,
utilisation of infrastructure and in-class engagement. Some HR processes like recruitment &
onboarding in industry are being taken over completely by AI enabled automated apps and software
where resumes are screened for key words, ranked for sentiment and during virtual interaction,
random questions are posed to the prospect when he is ready to record the interaction. AI tracks facial
expressions and gestures and best matches are generated thereby eliminating subjectivity. Likewise,
some other tasks such as performance management, budgeting, planning & estimation, scheduling
have seen automation with near perfect results and the benefit of real-time recording in database.
Data-mining, modelling and visualisation software have ensured that even large datasets are
processed and multiple simulations done within a day to provide valuable insights to the decision
makers. Universities have adopted tools such as automated balanced scorecard based performance
management system and brought transparency in the appraisal process. Accreditation requirements
like mapping outcomes, attributes and skill matrix continue to be outside automation. Tools are
available to automate but adoption is slow due to lack of trained HR professionals.

Adoption of digital board generates content videos which need video editing software and a content
design team to embed videos with questions, facilitate flipped learning through asynchronous videos,
develop branched chain and animated self-explainer videos for conceptual development.

In industries, HR is central and the driver of adoption of digital technologies, process automation and
change management that brings about transformation. In universities however, HR has still not been
able to come out of its supportive role image primarily because university HR leaders remain stuck in
the groove of traditional processes as technology seems monstrous and also because of dominance
of academicians carrying the legacy of traditional classroom delivery. Another barrier is the high cost
of integrating technology with legacy processes and trained manpower cost with high attrition.
Administrators have not visualised the transformative learning experience that universities can offer
by integrating digital technology and investing in human resources to support learning design that is
central to the success of outcome-based education.

C. AI, ML, NLP, Algorithms, Bots and Robotics

HR professionals have been facing challenges of breaking monotony and stress in repetitive
monotonous tasks. Ability to provide 24x7 communication to stakeholders’ queries and support was
another challenge. The process was automated using algorithms (rule-based process flow) at backend
and at the frontend, chatbots can provide a natural, human-like and always-on communication tool
that engages the user in personalized conversations which are then analyzed for resolving the specific
concerns, wants and needs. AI-backed chatbots allow sentiment analysis so that the genuine changes
desired by employees can be implemented which boosts engagement and reduces turnover. Natural
language processing – NLP has further facilitated intelligent interaction through bots by providing the
flexibility to choose one’s preferred language.

Interaction automation facilitated data capture in digital form which is used for HR analytics (Marler
& Boudreau, 2017) and professionals doing monotonous jobs upskilled to analytics due to the data
familiarity. Thus, digital technology adoption changed the organization and nature of work (Colbert,
Yee, & George, 2016; Habraken & Bondarouk, 2017). AI application to recruitment process eased the
bulk recruitment that call centres always faced as a big challenge. The combined impact of AI, ML,
Algorithms, Bots and Robotics is expected to eliminate manual intervention in repetitive interactive
tasks with pre-determined outcomes and expand the scope of analytics to derive insights from the
automated interactions and refine the algorithms to deliver personalised interaction to the customers.
An analogy from the industrial application of this digital technology group can be derived for
universities where students can be offered a personalised learning experience based on their skill
mapping and career aspirations through AI algorithms that track their progress and attainment of
outcome of each course. Digitalisation of learning, content, training & development can lead to a more
efficient, strategically oriented institution with an increased competitive advantage (Lazazzara &
Galanaki, 2018). Apart from transactional processes getting automated, several traditional internal HR
processes like recruitment, onboarding and performance management can be made intelligent,
efficient and self-monitoring by using AI and algorithms that track variances and trigger an alarm for
correction. AI and video recruitment apps eliminate prospects that do not match the requirements
and save time and efforts (Brandão, Silva, & dos Santos, 2019). Interactive efficiency boosting enablers
like training, on-site help manuals, videos, e-learning, virtual conferences and webinars rely greatly on
AI enabled apps to deliver customised content and interactivity through hot-tagged videos chained as
a flow chart, deliver customised learning over geographically dispersed participants thereby ensuring
high savings and better learning outcomes, 24x7 availability for flexible learning, ease of access and
high customer value (Esterhuyse & Scholtz, 2016).

Integration of AI enabled apps for automating communication, transactional processes and other
query-based interaction has developed need for new skills relating to process modelling, content
development and video modulation as well as leading HR professionals to discovery of new metrics
for measuring performance.
D. Near Reality technologies-AR, VR, Holographic and Digital Humans.

Near reality technologies comprising of Virtual reality, Augmented reality, Holographic projection and
Digital humans are transforming HR and the adoption by professionals and industry is very high and
fast because of the tremendous advantages.

Industries and universities have experimented with gamification for better engagement and efficient
learning. Interactivity is another factor like during interviews, instead of asking candidates direct
questions relating to a situation, they will enact their response with virtual reality and with AI enabled
apps with facial expression and gesture recognition library, it will be possible to evaluate their
responses without human intervention.

Adoption of virtual reality in different areas like training, help desk, online support and on-site training
in field installations has been rapidly adopted by industries. For training on installation or for
maintenance at remote locations, off-shore oil rigs etc, augmented reality integration with digital
manual helps project the support manual in 3D for ease of use. Use of these apps has given a new
dimension to training process as the content is now available in real 3D form and anywhere through
the mobile device.

Some universities have adopted AR, VR and 3D projection holography in their brochures, websites and
for teaching internal structures of machines and human anatomy which otherwise is not possible in
simple print form. With advancement of telecom network to 5G or higher speeds with almost zero
latency, adoption of near reality digital technologies will expand. Universities will have to develop agile
learning content integrating near reality digital technologies to offer a personalised learning
experience to students.

Future developments through near reality applications in the higher education sector seem very
exciting. “Learning and development has to not only teach people AI skills and digital dexterity, but
also prepare employees for new roles that will undoubtedly require more human skillsets: analytical,
strategic, critical thinking, cultural awareness, emotional intelligence,” “To adapt to these changes,
L&D departments are transitioning to agile learning models that support the individual learning versus
providing broad-based solutions for the organization as a whole.” says Elizabeth Greene, Director of
Learning & Development at ON SEMICONDUCTOR.

Some organizations are using near reality digital technologies to deliver post-engagement experience
to potential recruits through an AR enabled app that lets one experience the working environment
and workplace feel if one joins that organization. Similarly, Holographic projection technology is being
used to deliver almost real but virtual presence in conferences, seminars, meetings through virtual
telepresence which projects a remotely located person in the meeting room. Holographic projection
can be used to deliver a real like virtual feeling to remotely located students or to bring a remotely
located subject expert in the class podium. For India, this shall facilitate engaging remotely located
experts for the benefit of students.

CONCLUSION: What universities & HEI’s need to do

Universities and Higher education institutions face a stiff challenge to develop facilities to leverage
developments in the digital technologies for engaging students and faculty alike through a
personalised learning approach. HR will need to develop capabilities’ diversity, moving away from the
traditional skills and processes and adopting digital mode.

Some of the new approaches that HEI’s will need are:

• Personalizing learning outcomes mapping based on one’s desired job role, existing skill matrix
that one has prior to joining a HEI, development plan and future goals, and mapping the skill
gaps to be covered through curricular and external learning.

• Designing experiential and community-oriented projects and assignments based on learning

outcomes and developing digitally engaging pedagogy to leverage near reality technology.

• Developing a diversified content repository and delivery based on relevancy to the individual
student’s need.

• 24x7 availability of responses to queries via chatbots.

• Establishing a Learning Design unit with a content development lab, video editing and
modulation lab, pedagogy response analytics and performance analytics with simulation.

• Despite digital technologies integration in processes, keep the human centric approach at the
centre in designing content.
 • Enable intense connect with community for establishing application and response labs for
different digital apps.

• Develop a structured approach to faculty development with industry assistance for an intense
round the year engagement.

• Establish behavioural study and interaction lab with human-computer interface integrated for
students and HR professionals to continuously work on interaction process modulation.

• Establish institutional HR as the key driver for implementing digital technologies so that a
human centric approach to digitalisation is sustained.

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