Big corporations are entering a new era in workforce management; employee expectations are on the rise and as a result, companies are placing more importance on providing for and interacting with employees, in a more personal way. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that the HR software industry is a $14 billion colossus, with firms implementing new ways to make the our working day as enjoyable and productive as possible.
Figure 1: Deals and Dollar Investment Sizes (CB Insights, 2016)
VC funding continues to flow into HR Tech
In recent years, HR has become a new area for ambitious entrepreneurs to make their mark. This is demonstrated by the consistently high levels of funding being raised by HR technology companies ($2.4 billion in 2016). It is also true, however, that a new trend is emerging. Whilst HR tech has experienced a 10% YoY growth in closed deals since 2010, the total dollar amount spent decreased by $80 million between 2015/16.
What do these numbers mean for HR tech? Well, as unfavourable as it might first appear, the reason is just as simple as it is encouraging. The industry has witnessed an increase in early stage deals – 69% in 2016 against a historical 66% (2010-2015). Early stage deals involve smaller amounts of capital, which is reflective of the fact that more HR technology companies are being founded or startups are experiencing an acceleration in funding inflow, thanks to the sector becoming ever more popular with investors.
HR is a huge space, so where are the innovative ideas clustering? According to CB Insights, the main areas to watch out for are ‘workforce management’ and ‘employee development and workforce optimisation’. Glassdoor, the jobs and recruiting marketplace, took off mainly thanks to its value proposition of allowing employees to review their employer. Having raked in $202 million since 2012, it is now the third most valuable startup in HR behind Zenefits and FXiaoke.
The above considered, giving and receiving feedback could well be a golden nugget in a vast HR tech landscape. This is a sentiment echoed by many in the HR space, and with good reason. The Culr team has committed to creating a culture of feedback in the workplace. Interestingly enough, we have seen that thanks to Culr, employees are more aware of the underlying advantages of giving feedback and taking ownership of it; the 'WIIFM' (what's in it for me).
Continue reading here to learn the emerging trends on the horizon that give rise to the opportunity to disrupt and truly revolutionize the way in which an employer deals with its workforce.