There’s a lot of buzz around “the consumerization of HR” but what does it mean? Jeanne Meister, an expert in HR technology, described it as how companies are creating a social, mobile, and consumer-type experiences for employees inside the company. Think about your most used mobile apps and how they make life is easier i.e. Postmates recommends what you may want to eat, Netflix suggests what movies you may be interested in and Instagram knows which stories may interest you. Imagine this type of personalization in terms of employee experience.

As the focus is shifted to employee experience, HR needs to move from the legacy processes and the trend towards software and tools that facilitate self-reliance, encourage problem-solving and enhance the productivity of employees. Consumerization in HR is about exhibiting innovation and exceptional end-user experience to the employee that impacts their engagement. HR leaders will have to redefine their future roles and together with other C-Suite officers, develop a meaningful and engaging employee experience.

Engaged employees are your brand advocates. The best ambassadors than employees who are satisfied with their jobs. According to the 2013 Edelman Trust Barometer, employees rank higher in public trust than a firm’s PR department, CEO, or Founder. Thus, employees are key to fortifying your business as they are apt to share content about their company on their social channels. In terms of recruitment, your employees will likely attract top talent.

Ultimately, HR will move away from its functions and processes and move towards treating their employees as internal “consumers”.