Technology and people is about understanding the role of technology and the impact it has on the people function and the broader workforce. Knowing how technology can improve the agility and productivity of workforces and organisations, and how it can enable more collaborative working.

The way we work is changing. With many more people now working at home, and with many organisations adopting a hybrid approach to working, the way that people professionals have had to use technology to enable their people practices has also changed. Practitioners are having to adapt their people practices for remote and hybrid working, and bring the people perspective to technology-based approaches, such as bringing learning online, or enabling greater online HR self-service for the workforce.

And, as things change, we also have a role in determining the impact of technology on the people function and the workforce: understanding how roles will change, what new skills and capabilities will be needed, and how to use technology to enhance the people proposition.

This area of the Profession Map covers the core knowledge needed to be an effective people professional who can bring the people perspective to technology, and identify opportunities to maximise the benefits of technology for the workforce.

Technology and people standards

Each standard progresses through four levels of impact. Which level do you most embody in your day-to-day work?

Foundation level Associate level Chartered Member level Chartered Fellow level
At this level you'll understand: At this level you'll understand: At this level you'll understand: At this level you'll understand:
Range of technologies The range of technology [including AI] that is used in the people profession and its impact on your work What technology [including AI] is available in your area of the people profession, and how it can improve the worker experience How different technologies [eg, workflow automation, AI] interact across the organisation, and how to use them to support the delivery of people practices Current and future technologies which can underpin and enable people strategy and make organisations more agile [eg, workflow automation, AI]
Artificial intelligence Different types of AI-embedded technologies and how to apply them responsibly to improve the quality of your work The opportunities and risks linked to applying different types of AI-embedded technologies, and how to apply them responsibly in your area of work How to use AI-embedded technologies to enhance people practices and support responsible decision-making across the employee lifecycle How to create AI strategy and governance processes which promote responsible decision-making across the employee lifecycle
Collaborative technologies How technology can be used to help people work more collaboratively, and the opportunities and risks associated with it The range of technologies that enable collaboration in different situations How to maximise collaboration through technology to improve performance How to embed collaboration through technology into culture and strategy to improve performance
Technology-enabled practices The role of people professionals in designing technology-enabled people practices How to contribute to the design of technology-enabled people practices How to bring the people perspective to the design of technology-enabled people practices How to drive digital transformation to enhance the worker experience
Impact of technology The benefits and risks of technology for people and organisations How to review the impact of technology on roles and people processes How to assess the impact of current and future technology on the workforce, data privacy and people practices How technology will influence the role of people professionals, future workforce needs and the worker experience

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