Is Your HR Productivity App Saving You Time?

The smart phone market is really hot with the Blackberry (who really started the ball rolling),  IPhone (pure leader in mobile technology, and  Android (quickly catching up to IPhone), and other phones on the market today. And let me not forget the IPad for analytic use not games and pictures. There a over 1M applications for the phones today and HR applications are no exception. Mobile apps are really helping HR professionals today in our continuous loop connectivity.

Since time is a precious commodity today it makes real sense for HR to be in the forefront of productivity applications as they manage large and decentralized workforces. Companies that use mobile apps have seen a strong return on their investment and helps keep the HR executive and his/her staff connected 24/7. There are some companies that have developed their own apps which makes good business sense and there are those off the shelf (so to speak) as downloads.

So what applications make sense today, here are a few that you should look into or better yet use to keep on top of your game:

• Payroll apps - to monitor pay cycle issues and fixed cost concerns
• Talent acquisition - to keep up with the active and passive job seekers 
• Workforce management -  managing an existing diverse human capital group
• Learning and development - managing training budgets and activity
• Peer and management reviews - performance management & process approvals
• Marketing and product cycle reviews, and 
• Internet/intranet site management

These apps have migrated from the desktop/laptop to the smart phone at lightning speed. My advise is get on the band wagon and start utilizing these productivity tools so you can stay in front of your business and employee base. If you are worried about security work with your IT group; if your company is  slow to adopt - push them and lead the way because a recent poll says that there is a 13% increase in productivity utilizing mobile apps. Steve Bogner of Insight Consulting Partners in Cincinnati as that "putting mobile into action is always going to lag the hype". If you are an innovative and strategic HR executive then you need to lead the charge within your company.

Have We Seen the Last of Paid Content? Free Content?

Two recent events have rocked the publishing world. First, The New York Times, which many regard as the newspaper of record in the U.S., said it would abandon the practice of providing free online content and start charging regular readers beginning in 2011. And second, Apple's much-hyped tablet -- the iPad -- made its appearance. What implications will the Times' decision have for newspaper publishers and other providers of free online content? How will the iPad re-define what a book means, as well as how it is produced, marketed and delivered? 


What are your thoughts on this?