Today the face of HR is often a portal, rather than a person. Almost all firms now provide universal access to HR services through technology and web-based applications, dramatically changing the practice of human resource management. These changes often result from the need to cut costs and expand or improve services. Recent research shows organizations that successfully adopt sophisticated HR technology tools outperform those that do not.1 But because most organizations already have automated basic HR administration, the simple automation of HR processes can no longer assure a competitive advantage. Instead, organizations must determine how to use technology to transform their HR practices and market their HR brand.
