Demystifying HR Technology Jargon: From Structured Content and GenAI to Tech Stack

I recently got an email from an HR professional magazine inviting me to a webinar, and its description had some terms that stopped me in my tracks.

• “Structured Content” and “Unstructured Content”
• “GenAI”
• “Tech Stack”

By the end of the description, I wondered, “What does this even mean?” I even connected with some of my HR peers and found that they were unfamiliar with many of these terms too.

Navigating the world of HR tech jargon can be a daunting task for even the most seasoned HR professionals. As technology evolves and finds its way into HR, there’s always a new word to learn. But with how impactful many of these technologies can be in transforming the HR function, it’s well worth our time to get to know these technologies and see if they’d add value to our strategic efforts.

As I researched the meanings of the terms above, I thought it would be helpful to create a blog that helps my HR peers understand them, too. Keep reading for your guide to the most common HR tech jargon, including its definitions and how it can enhance HR professionals’ daily work lives.

HR Technology Jargon: What it Means and How it Can Help You

1. What’s the Difference Between Structured Content and Non-Structured Content in HR?

Structured content is highly organized and easily searchable, often stored in databases and spreadsheets. Non-structured content, on the other hand, is not organized and is more challenging to navigate, like emails and documents.

For HR, transitioning from non-structured to structured content requires technology like intelligent document processing (IDP) or optical character recognition (OCR). The result: better data management, compliance, and accessibility. Having structured content facilitates more efficient document retrieval, simplifies reporting, and enhances decision-making capabilities. The impact can be huge in HR, too, considering the high volume of data we manage: Imagine being able to put all of that to use and finally be able to answer questions like, “Where is it?”, “How long should it be stored?”, and “Who should be able to access it and when?”

2. What is AI in HR?

Generative AI, or GenAI, is a form of AI that can create content, predict outcomes, and generate solutions to complex problems. It’s commonly referred to as “ChatGPT,” which is a popular generative AI tool that truly kicked off GenAI’s dominance in the mainstream. Still, there are lots of other powerful tools out there like Microsoft’s CoPilot and many others.

In the context of HR, generative AI can revolutionize talent acquisition, employee engagement, and learning and development. It can assist in creating job descriptions, screening resumes, and even conducting initial interviews. By automating these processes, HR professionals can dedicate more time to strategic planning and building meaningful employee relationships.

3. HR Tech Stack: What is a Tech Stack in HR?

HR Terminology 101: Full-Stack

The term “tech stack” refers to the collection of technologies a company uses to build and run its applications and projects. You’ll often hear it in the context of system modernization. Many organizations have spent years adding to an ever-growing tech stack. This often leaves them with a list of core technologies that need data modernization.

For HR professionals, the tech stack is the backbone of digital transformation in the workplace. It includes HRIS systems, applicant tracking systems, performance management tools, employee engagement platforms, and more. A well-integrated, modernized tech stack can streamline HR processes, automate mundane tasks, and provide insightful data analytics, enabling HR teams to focus on strategic initiatives and decision-making. And if you’re looking to add AI to your strategy, having this well-integrated, modernized tech stack is non-negotiable. Your AI efforts won’t be able to flourish if they’re built on a crumbling, outdated foundation, after all.

Sound like something your organization could benefit from? To determine your modernization priorities, it’s recommended that you conduct ongoing preventative wellness assessments on your current tech stack. Ask, “Which systems have the biggest impact on the business?” and “Which systems need modernizing the most?” That’s how you’ll find your starting point.

Use HR Technology to Your Advantage

By demystifying terms like “tech stack,” “generative AI,” and “structured content” and understanding how they can provide value, HR teams can unlock new levels of efficiency and strategic influence. Embrace these concepts and watch as they transform your HR department and broader organization, making it more agile, insightful, and human-centric than ever before.

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