HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR
Organisation-wide collaboration means quicker problem-solving. Whether it’s finding the solution to a client’s technical issue or a problem with the coffee machine, social networks enable problems to be shared and solutions accessed more readily.
MOBILE WORKFORCE Just as you were getting used to the BYOD phenomenon, a new approach has reared its head. Corporate Owned, Personally Enabled (COPE) has been touted as the best of both worlds, blending employee and employer needs more effectively. The acronym was born in February 2012, when Philippe Winthrop, of VeliQ, was prompted to resolve the problem of corporate liability in the mobility equation. His approach involves companies leveraging economies of scale to negotiate good deals on mobile devices, providing employees with a shortlist of devices to choose from, and allowing them some leeway for personal use, while retaining ownership. Ultimately, like BYOD, this is about flexibility. It’s recommends that employers considering COPE should: yy pay for the devices, and their operation yy offer ‘agreed devices’ with controlled network access and security arrangements from anywhere yy ensure employees’ use is managed so that it is ‘appropriate and reasonable’
KEY 2014 TRENDS Nick Southcombe identifies four key tech trends for 2013/14: yy Businesses are investing in new technology and there has been a shift towards human capital management solutions in addition to traditional payroll. yy Large organisations are looking for comprehensive solutions from a single vendor. yy There is an industry-wide transition to outsourced arrangements, from application hosting through SaaS to full business process outsourcing. This not only shows that businesses want scaleability and flexibility, but it also reflects the need to partner with technology leaders that offer an evolving, integrated solution. yy Mobility. Expect a more sophisticated approach to communication and collaboration ‘on the go’. With an agile, globalised workforce, this technology is key to unlocking enterprise intelligence and increasing productivity.
HCAMAG.COM
PRIVACY AND OWNERSHIP A former employee of US-based Verizon Wireless had thousands of her personal emails read by her employer after returning a phone provided to her by the company. The employee failed to clear her passwords from the phone, resulting in her supervisor gaining information regarding her family, health, career and finances. Although it was found the supervisor had acted unlawfully, the same conclusion might not be reached in Australia. “Commonwealth privacy and telecommunications interception legislation would not prevent an employer accessing and reading the personal emails of a former employee stored on a company-owned smartphone,” says Joel Zyngier, senior associate at Holding Redlich. “Such conduct would be unlawful pursuant to the Workplace Surveillance Act, unless the employer had previously warned the employee that the employer might monitor or access the private emails.” Zyngier confirmed that the employer owns the information stored on a company-issued device. This does not include information stored on non-company servers that the smartphone can access. As the legal and moral obligations of the employer when dealing with this situation are complex and difficult to navigate, a robust IT policy that is easily adhered to is all-important.
TOP APPS Here are three of HR Director’s favourite apps from 2013: hhWORKDAY The Workday app is one part of the Workday system, which is an extensive cloud-based HR and financial service. The app provides customers with a sleek layout that allows access to all elements of the broader service – a rarity with mobile apps. hhMYPAYROLL Developed by web application veteran Studio Ziveri SRL, this app provides a thorough and extensive payroll tool that amalgamates all documents necessary in the employee and employer relationship to maximise the productivity of the payroll function. hhKUDOSPOINTS This app can be rolled out among staff, and provides an informal, fun way to provide peer-to-peer recognition through a social network. Running on many mobile platforms, the app allows users to send and receive points for recognition, bringing gamification even further into the workplace.
DECEMBER 2013 | 39