Dive Brief:

• Technology and HR is hardly a new partnership. Yet, according to an article at Forbes, business leaders still have mixed views on whether or not HR technology is the "obvious solution" to today's talent challenges.
• The Forbes article discussed this issue with Sandra Campopiano, chief people officer at Sage, a U.K.-based global accounting and management systems provider to mid-sized businesses. Campopiano tells Forbes she has little doubt that technology helps those leaders trying to solve the increasingly complex talent management challenge.
• Forbes points out that due to her job, Campopiano is expected to be positive about technology's ability to help HR within the middle market. The article notes, however, that if HR departments have trailed other business functions in adopting technology, Campopiano's view makes sense.

Dive Insight:

Campopiano told Forbes that today's demographics alone (four generations – with varying priorities and interests – in the workplace simultaneously) means technology can offer insights to help overwhelmed managers deliver value to their employees.  

Adam Hale, Fairsail’s chief executive, told Fortune that because HR trails in adopting tech solutions, businesses know more about customers than employees. “You can kind of get away with that in a recession, but [in a time of] skills shortages, that’s death,” he told Forbes. 

In an era when mobile has exploded the possibilities for HR tech's reach and function, remaining with old standbys for familiarity alone will no longer cut it. To remain competitive, an employer must use every tool to their advantage when it comes to keeping track of employees.