Q&A with HR tech influencer Derek Belch

 

Derek Belch
Founder and CEO
STRIVR

 


What area of the HR function will be most impacted by emerging technologies, and why?

We’ll see the most dramatic technology shift in learning and development. Recent technological breakthroughs and demographic shifts mean roles are changing. Established career paths are at risk of being eliminated due to automation, while many workers are in need of much more advanced technical knowledge than the prior generation. Onboarding times are also being compressed, with more to learn in a shorter time. As a result, maintaining a well-trained, highly engaged workforce is more and more challenging against a backdrop of business leaders looking to improve performance, reduce safety incidents, enhance productivity, and reduce turnover. The opportunity to reinvent performance is here, and transforming employee learning will be the key to unlocking it.

What’s the single most dramatic shift you see happening in the HR tech space today?

Jobs are changing rapidly, yet the way many organizations train employees hasn’t. Traditional training is inefficient, costly and time-consuming. At the same time, measuring employee performance has been challenging and bias-ridden.

Immersive learning in virtual reality offers employers a revolutionary way of assessing, training and managing people. It simulates real-world scenarios in a safe, controlled and engaging environment. Immersive learning combines cutting-edge VR with advanced learning theory, data science and spatial design to enable employees to experience real-world situations before they ever step foot on the job. And it also offers unique engagement and attention data, enabling a true account of performance.

How is HR technology changing the way people work?

Immersive technologies are at the forefront of a transformative workplace revolution. They are fundamentally changing the way people learn, providing on-demand, real-world simulations that lead to real-world behavioral change. With immersive learning, people can now learn in the flow of work, so there is minimal disruption to the business and maximum impact on performance.  Immersive technologies boost engagement, confidence and morale. Unique performance insights also allow learners to self-identify areas of strength or areas that need improvement.

It’s a transformative technological revolution in the HR space, and one that’s going to become commonplace in the years to come.

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