The Best HR Transformation Using Technology was carried off by Just Eat Takeaway (JET) for its Robotic Process Automation project called Jetty. Jetty carries out most of the JET Pay process, a repetitive HR-related task that proved resistant to automation in a more conventional way. ‘Automating boring, repetitive HR tasks is really cool’, so the jury. ‘By letting robots handle the dull stuff, Just Eat Takeaway has made both employees and customers happier. Employees have more time for important tasks, and customers get faster service. Automation of the JET Pay process has resulted not only in more efficiency, but also better accuracy and compliance.’ In a reality-check comment, the jury called Jetty ‘a promising first step in using robotics for certain HR tasks, but not yet a sufficient proof of concept.’
JET representative Karya Imirzalioglu emphasized that Just Eat Takeaway employees have completely embraced Jetty: a full 100% use it and give it either full marks (67%) or 4 out of 5 (33%). While Jetty’s usefulness is likely to be the main reason, an important contributing factor is the choice to personify this digital robot, giving it a name and a ’face’.
The other nominees competing for Award Category 1 were A.S. Watson/Neurolytics and Enza Zaden.
The Best HR Tech Product Innovation Award went to Workday for its Peakon Employee Voice. This is a ‘listening platform’ where employees can give continuous direct feedback, enabling HR to take action. ‘This product shows substantial impact through direct feedback and real-time data collection’, the jury considered. ‘Its unique concept called “Listen, Learn, Act” enables organizations to tap into what their employees are saying in real time, giving them a way to keep their finger on the pulse of employee engagement. It helps managers make better decisions, and it’s expected to boost employee engagement and overall success. They’re ahead of the curve with features like predicting when employees might leave and tracking the entire employee lifecycle. A significant step forward in HR tech.
’The prize was unexpected,’ Workday representative Michiel Veefkind said. ‘There are so many strong competitors. I’m happy to be a member of such a brilliant team.’
The other nominees competing for Award Category 2 were Oracle Grow and UKG.
The Best Next Generation HR Technology Award was won by Crunchr for its Crunchr Assistant, a ‘digital co-pilot for people analytics, powered by generative AI’. Users can ask the assistant questions in natural language and will receive instant answers, additional context and even suggestions to dive deeper into the data. ‘Crunchr is on track to shake up HR analytics and how we make data-driven decisions’, the jury felt. Also, ‘it’s super innovative in its use of Generative AI. It already has real-world results to show and glowing reviews from big players. The Crunchr Assistant will lead to better HR practices, smarter personnel choices, and improved business outcomes. In a word, it’s a customer-friendly generative AI tool for HR people who love data.’ On a more critical note, however, the jury asked: ‘How can you make your product understandable for HR employees who do not love data, or who are not used to working with big data sets?’
Crunchr representative Ralf Bovers was not only pleased, but also relieved: ‘After my pitch, I felt as if I had failed an exam. I’m so happy I haven’t.’ Not only that: Crunchr, so Jaakke announced, was to receive a 10,000 euro prize. ‘I’m really happy to see there’s space for start-ups to succeed.’
The other nominees competing for Award Category 3 were Fanployer and Welder.
