Career Changes - Where's the Human in Human Resources?

In the mysterious maze of E- Human Resources, applicants feel frustrated while searching, applying for or obtaining their targeted career opportunity. Using an Internet application, prospective employees may never meet a human resource professional during the hiring process, the interview appointment, or after becoming an employee.

Companies rely on outsourcing, applicant tracking software and third party websites along with self-managed programs to streamline and economize the human resource process.

E-recruiting is designed to provide information on open positions to both internal and external applicants, collect and process candidate's information and reinforce the company's brand.

Self-enrollment in benefit, pension, and payroll programs is an example of self-service technology designed to provide employees answers or adjust allocations without speaking to an actual person.

But where is the human in human resources?

Ideally, technology would create cost savings that formerly were done in time-consuming, manual processes by HR staff. The HR staff can focus on the needs of their customers in the people relationship management arena like identifying future leaders for employee development and alignment within the organization for succession planning.

Over emphasizing technology without balancing the human elements can drive applicant's frustration higher, eliminating candidates that feel they're being treated like a number. In the highly competitive, shrinking pool of today's talent market, HR needs to utilize technology resources in the business processes without eliminating the human touch in the attraction, retention and development of qualified, highly- skilled, employees.