The evolution of tech: The biggest workplace innovations so far

Technology has completely revolutionized the way people work, and there is much more still to come. 

Fifty-eight percent of companies plan to increase their technology budgets in the next year, according to data from technology insights platform Wifi Talents. So much so that the World Economic Forum estimates that the continuous evolution of workplace tech is expected to disrupt 44% of workers' skills in the next five years. 

"Every company is a technology company today," says Lupe Colangelo, director of alumni engagement and employer partnerships at online education platform General Assembly. "Increasingly, companies are realizing they can't just hire new employees with tech skills to stay competitive — they need to invest in training and upskilling programs that modernize their entire workforce." 

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Organizations focus much of their strategy on staying ahead of the next big, innovative trends that will affect their workforce. 

AI is still the future

Sixty-five percent of companies are already regularly using generative AI in their daily operations, according to a survey from management consulting firm McKinsey. And 75% of companies plan to adopt more AI technology, big data and cloud computing in the next five years, according to the World Economic Forum. This is all to meet an increasing demand from employees, according to Seth Turner, co-founder and chief strategy officer at AbsenceSoft, a leave of absence software solution for enterprises. 

"Although still in its early stages, AI is already being leveraged by companies to enhance efficiency," he says. "Routine tasks are now automated, and data is rapidly analyzed to inform better decision-making. This shift allows employees to dedicate more time to meaningful aspects of their roles, such as delivering patient care or innovating new products." 

In fact, 84% of employees are even expressing frustration with AI's current limitations, according to data automation platform Blue Prism, which will only further encourage organizations to boost their investments in the product. That's especially true for the recruiting and retention benefits it presents. Forty-four percent of recruiters and 67% of hiring decision-makers say AI saves them a significant amount of time in the hiring process, according to workplace insights platform Tidio, and LinkedIn reports that 72% of recruiters consider AI particularly valuable for candidate sourcing.

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"Thanks to AI, candidates can quickly create job-specific resumes and cover letters and apply to hundreds of jobs," Colangelo says. "This means recruiters are receiving thousands of AI-generated resumes for positions, making it challenging to identify truly qualified candidates." 

More tools, better data

The introduction of more advanced and intuitive tools has also had a positive impact on employee engagement and satisfaction. Platforms can now integrate multiple HR functions like payroll, benefits, talent acquisition, learning and development as well as provide more employee self-service options. This independence has vastly improved employees' outlook on their work, according to Turner.  

"The rise of self-service portals is another significant development, enabling individuals to manage various aspects of their professional lives on their own," he says, "These platforms provide seamless access to essential information and tools, streamline processes from onboarding to exit, and encourage a more self-sufficient and engaged approach to work."

And with more tech tools has also come better data and insights collection, which has played an enormous role in improving the employee experience, according to Kara Ayers, SVP of global talent acquisition at Xplor Technologies. Better analytics can make it possible for organizations to identify, address and implement preventative measures against issues before they morph  into turnover or burnout just by using the information they passively collect. 

Seventy-one percent of companies consider people analytics to be a high priority, but unfortunately only 22% are currently using it in HR, according to a LinkedIn Business report. Ayers hopes that the investment in more tech improves these rates in the future. 

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"Access to data has significantly evolved over the years which is allowing HR teams to partner with the business more effectively than ever before — especially when it comes to data-driven decisions," she says. "With up-to-date hiring, attrition and employee sentiment data, companies are now able to assess return on investment for strategic initiatives early and more effectively."

While tech has offered many benefits and improvements to the workforce, it's important to acknowledge some of the obstacles it has created, too. For example, AI has caused companies to overlook talent that doesn't meet the hyper-specific criteria employers have programmed, often hurting DEI initiatives. Introducing too many new tech tools at once has also been shown to overwhelm employees and consequently stunt productivity. 

"There are also always nuances within this line of work and real opportunities to connect with employees at a personal level, which must always be considered," Turner says. "Face-to-face conversations and direct dialogue can often reveal insights and understanding that won't be taken into account in an automated process, which can significantly impact how HR situations are handled or resolved."

As the conversation around technology continues, it's imperative that changes happen slowly, carefully and with humans and education at the forefront if organizations want to leverage the tech they've invested in to its full potential. 

"There's still a serious data skills gap that prevents HR from truly capitalizing on this tech," Colangelo says. "In the coming years I hope that we'll see more HR professionals focus on upskilling to gain more skills in AI and data analytics."