Meet Ian Ellahee, Director of Customer Success at HR Platform: HiBob

Tell us more about HiBob?

HiBob is on a mission to transform how organisations operate in the modern world of work with our leading HR platform Bob. A modern HR company for modern businesses, we aim to guide companies through the changing workplace, helping them power productivity, engagement and retention, in a fun but functional way.

We believe that HR processes shouldn’t be complex, so we created a single platform that integrates all HR processes into a game-changing, user-friendly tool that touches every employee across all our customers’ businesses. From out-of-the-box onboarding, performance management and workflows to integrations with leading payroll providers – Bob’s breadth of core HR functionality gives businesses everything they need to operate efficiently.

HiBob is all about creating a warm and welcoming company culture whether our teams work globally, hybrid or remote. At our core, we believe in encouraging people to be their authentic, true self. We value coming together as a team to achieve success which is reflected in our mantra; “Bring me, win as we”. Ultimately, while we are a business, we think of our employees as people first and foremost, rather than workers. As Ronni, our CEO always says, “There is no such thing as work-life balance. It should be life-work balance. Life always comes first.”

The workplace has changed significantly over the last few years, what role do you think HR tech has played in this revolution?

In my opinion the workforce has changed for the better. More and more employees are being empowered to be their authentic selves at work and life-work balance is increasing. Organisations are waking up to the importance of seeing employees as people and not just workers. HR technology has been pivotal in this fast-paced revolution. The right HR tool provides oversight and visibility, access to insights and resources that underpin actions and pro information to connect, develop and grow. All these components are vital for streamlining HR management and building an inclusive culture.

Automation has been key to the development of the modern workforce. Manual systems may have had their place early on, but in today’s modern world, as organisation’s scale, those manual processes need to be left behind. Companies should want to simplify things and automation tools are therefore the natural course. By streamlining processes, time and resources are freed up, to be channelled elsewhere in the business. Very few teams in any modern connected business can afford to work in isolation.

Collaboration and connection in the workplace are crucial to the success of a business, and HR tools are the key to facilitating this. At HiBob we know how important these are, that is why our platform mirrors a social media feed; to encourage employees to engage with and celebrate one another. Shoutouts and kudos encourage employees to celebrate wins with one another, while the ability to share hobbies and superpowers on our platform enables employees to learn about one another and connect over shared interests.

How is modern HR tech solving HR’s biggest challenges? How can it solve HR’s challenges in the future?

HR is at the crux of all these changes in the workplace and world of business. During this time of great uncertainty and extreme change, HR technology is poised to help solve businesses most pressing challenges.

Recruiting, onboarding, training, payroll and performance systems are inefficient if businesses don’t have one dashboard that allows users to get one view of everything they need, when they need it. Thankfully, modern HR systems have easy-to-use workflows and friendly user interfaces that streamline core HR processes into one system.

We live in a globalised world and HR tech is making a global workforce a reality. With more people wanting to work from anywhere, more companies are beginning to hire employees beyond their physical borders. HR technology brings together all employees to work toward the same goals, preserve culture and unifies a company’s approach, no matter their location.

Personal connection – not physical connection – is essential for retaining talent, and what drives that feeling among employees most is recognising and appreciating people for what they do and what they contribute.

Modern HR tech benefits employees too. The best HR tools provide a place for employees to share feedback and insights through embedded employee surveys. It’s now easier than ever for employees to have a voice in the workplace and for HR to listen and act. Employees feel valued as team members when their voices are not only heard but listened to.

What are your three top tips for businesses looking to navigate retaining employees over the next few years? What role does tech play in this?

My first tip is to use HR tech to streamline the onboarding process. First impressions matter, and when it comes to an employee’s journey, few points are more critical than their first 30 days. Creating a good onboarding program is hard, and as your company evolves so must your program. Technology can make the onboarding process easier. Automating certain tasks and lists, allows HR professionals to focus on the details of your onboarding process. Automating the process also ensures it can be repeated consistently for all new hires.

Company culture is a major part of the modern HR conversation, especially when it comes to retaining talent. Company culture reflects an organisations values and identity through its practices, customs and atmosphere. It’s my view that connection is a cornerstone of culture. Employees want to feel a sense of belonging, and facilitating connections will ensure employee satisfaction and therefore retention.

My third top tip for employee retention is developing an authentic EVP (Employee Value Proposition). EVPs hold an organisation to account and are often a good way to attract and retain talent. The key is for an organisation to deliver against their EVP for all employees. HR technology can make an EVP visible to all and keep employees engaged throughout their tenure.