The world of work has changed—bringing with it a raft of challenges for today’s HR teams.  Finding talented workers in a shrinking talent pool is perhaps the most significant of these challenges, with around 3.2% of all jobs in Australia currently unfilled. The nature of work is also becoming more dynamic and complex, with the traditional nine-to-five office model giving way to flexible working conditions which support employees’ work-life balance and wellbeing.  

New technologies such as artificial intelligence and automation are also transforming how we work, and altering the skills required to succeed in the workplace. A recent study by Pew Research Centre revealed that 62% of employees believe the use of AI in the workplace will have a ‘major’ impact on workers over the next 20 years.

At the same time, organisations are now capturing and storing enormous quantities of employee and customer data - yet few are utilising it to its full potential, and many are vulnerable to a security attack or compliance breach.  

In this blog, we'll explore these challenges in greater detail. We’ll also outline how a solution built on SAP SuccessFactors can help you drive HR process efficiency, as well as understand employees’ needs and how best to motivate and engage them.  

#1 – Recruitment and Retention in a Shrinking Talent Pool

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Australia’s current unemployment rate is hovering around the 3.4% mark, the lowest it’s been in fifty years.This means far fewer job seekers in the market, especially in industries like healthcare, IT, construction, and retail.

With the balance of power shifting to workers, it’s little wonder a recent LinkedIn survey revealed 3 in 5 Australians are considering quitting their current job in 2023.

Organisations need to work harder to attract and retain employees, which puts HR teams under enormous pressure. The new benchmark is to deliver an exemplary experience from the moment a candidate first contacts the organisation, right though to when they leave - and even beyond.  

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#2 – Managing A Flexible Workforce

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80% of employees consider flexible work arrangements to be a deciding factor when evaluating job offers, and 61% of employees have left or considered leaving a job due to lack of flexibility.  

This can be a significant challenge for HR teams, especially those which lack the technology to effectively support and manage a dispersed workforce. Keeping employees motivated, engaged and collaborative, regardless of where they are working, requires robust tools and processes. To deliver a positive employee experience at every step, HR teams also need the ability to accurately capture data on employees’ sentiments and performance, whether they’re working remotely or in the office.  

#3 – Digital Transformation of HR

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Technology is supporting more automation, improving productivity and facilitating better decision-making. For HR teams, digital transformation is crucial in providing a quality employee experience at every step.  

Despite this, many organisations still rely on dated and overly manual solutions for HR management. In fact, 47% of companies struggle with onboarding employees due to infrastructure access challenges. From the outset, this can slow down the recruitment and onboarding process and very quickly frustrate new hires.  

A lack of access to real-time data can also impede an organisation’s ability to understand what employees are looking for, how they are performing, and what needs to be done to ensure they remain happy and engaged.

#4 – Security and Compliance

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Organisations are now collecting and storing more employee data than ever, in the hope of developing insights and enabling HR-related analytics. However, this data also brings considerable compliance and security risks.  

Without the right systems and precautions in place, it’s very easy for this information to be compromised by cybercriminals. Beyond the obvious ramifications of data loss, the increased penalties associated with serious breaches of the Australian Privacy Act 1988 should give business leaders pause for thought. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) was also recently given increased powers with enhanced enforcement, information gathering and intelligence sharing capabilities.

“For a long time, data privacy of customers has been an afterthought, with most marketing teams sharing Excel lists of customer emails, details and other information across their own teams and agencies, with lack of proper tools or lack of time as excuses. This now needs to be completely re-thought,” Kshira Saagar, the senior director of international data science and analytics at Door Dash, recently told CMO Magazine.

The Key to Overcoming These Challenges? Re-Think Your Technology.  

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As HR management becomes increasingly complex, the right technology can play a key role in improving the overall experience for both HR teams and employees.  

Traditional on-premise HR software is simply no longer capable of providing the level of data-led insight today’s organisations now require. With many organisations, particularly in the mid-market, working with disconnected point solutions across their HR processes, many are left struggling to get the people and workforce data needed.  Keeping staff motivated, engaged and happy requires continual feedback and real-time analysis at every stage of the career lifecycle. This is where SAP SuccessFactors HXM Suite can help.  

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Why Consider SAP SuccessFactors?

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SAP SuccessFactors offers a highly secure, cloud-based HR platform that integrates with other core business systems—providing a single source of truth for HR data. You also have the confidence your information is secure and adheres with any local regulatory and compliance requirements.  

This sophisticated solution enables you to put people at the centre of your organisation, delivering:  

Experiences Designed For How People Work Today

Understand your people by listening to their needs and taking the right actions to improve the employee experience.

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Talent Intelligence To Fuel Mobility at Scale

Automatically align talent with opportunities that reflect each individual’s whole self, not just their hard skills.  

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Automated Compliance For Peace Of Mind

Adapt to changing regulations with access to core HR solutions, localised for more than 100 countries.  So when it comes time to grow your business into overseas markets, know that you can do so with the confidence that SAP SuccessFactors HXM Suite can support you.

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With SAP SuccessFactors, your HR team can get the insights and analysis you need to deliver a positive employee experience at every step.  

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Ensure Your Organisation Is Equipped For This New World Of Work

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While evolving your HR technology can feel overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be. With the right help, from an expert partner like DyFlex, you can get up and running quickly, with a solution that’s built around your organisation’s specific HR/Payroll, Workforce Management and Talent Management needs.  

If you are interested in learning more about the changing world of work, and about SAP SuccessFactors, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.  

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