Shaping the future of work with art and science

The world of human resources (HR) has come a long way in the last decade. Once viewed as a compliance-heavy, process-driven function, it’s now an evolving practice balancing the art of personal connection with the science of streamlined processes. The challenge for companies today is getting this balance right to drive innovation in the workplace.

At this year’s HR + L&D Tech Fest, Rippling’s Head of Implementation APAC, Dannika Swinn, and Aaron Rau, Head of People and Culture at Liven, had a discussion about how technology is reshaping the HR landscape. The conversation, with a focus on Liven’s journey of transforming its People and Culture function, highlighted the vital role technology like Rippling plays in taking care of the 'science' so that HR professionals can focus on the 'art' of personalising the employee experience.

In this article, we explore how the HR function has evolved, the balance between art and science in decision-making, and how Liven leverages innovative technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to stay ahead. Plus, we look ahead to the future of HR and what lies ahead for businesses looking to innovate in this space.

The evolution of HR function over the last decade

The HR function has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade. Traditionally, HR was a process-oriented department with a focus on compliance, payroll, and basic employee management. However, the rapid advancement of technology, globalisation, and changing workforce expectations have expanded HR’s role dramatically.

Today, HR goes beyond just managing people. It involves creating meaningful experiences while also ensuring businesses attract and retain the right skills to drive growth. As Aaron Rau pointed out during the fireside chat, 'HR was once all about compliance—making sure things got done. Now, it’s about productising HR and creating a system that employees want to engage with.'

The explosion of HR tech solutions is largely behind the shift, allowing HR teams to automate repetitive tasks, streamline workflows, and focus more on the human aspects of their role.

The definition of art vs. science

Liven defines HR function by a balance between 'art' and 'science.' The science represents the structured, process-driven aspects of HR; things like payroll, compliance, and data management. The 'science' element is about ensuring that these essential operations run smoothly and predictably, with minimal friction and maximum consistency.

On the other hand, the art of HR is about the human side. Its focus is on creating meaningful connections, understanding employee needs, and building a culture that makes employees feel valued. As Aaron Rau explained, 'The science is the processes and mechanics of how we do things, but the art is about freeing up time to build meaningful connections and relationships.'

How 'art vs. science' shapes decision making at Liven

At Liven, this balance between art and science guides HR decision-making. By leaning on technology like Rippling to handle the science, i.e., automating payroll and other administrative tasks, the team is able to focus more on the art of employee engagement and culture building.

Aaron Rau explained how this approach informs daily decisions: 'We deliberately created time in our business partners' schedules for conversations with employees, ensuring we focus on building meaningful connections while the tech takes care of the back end.' This structured division allows the team to make decisions that prioritise human connection without sacrificing efficiency in the core processes.

A key part of Liven’s decision-making process is the distinction between personalisation and customisation. As Aaron explained, ‘Personalisation is about tailoring experiences to meet individual needs, while still maintaining a consistent and fair experience for everyone.’ Unlike customisation, which can lead to inconsistencies and a lack of transparency, personalisation allows Liven to create meaningful employee interactions without compromising fairness.

By focusing on personalisation, Liven ensures that employees feel seen and valued throughout their journey with the company, without the risks of creating inconsistent or ‘secretive’ processes. This approach reduces friction in operations, while promoting meaningful, transparent interactions, enabling Liven’s HR team to enhance the overall employee experience while maintaining a people-first culture.

Technology trends and artificial intelligence

The last few years have seen remarkable advancements in HR technology, with automation, AI, and data analytics revolutionising how companies manage their people operations. As businesses grow more global and complex, HR teams have turned to innovative solutions to automate repetitive tasks, streamline processes, and gather insights that drive strategic workplace decisions.

One major trend is the integration of artificial intelligence in HR platforms, which enhances everything from recruitment and onboarding to employee engagement and retention. AI-powered tools are now analysing workforce data, predicting turnover, and personalising employee development plans. In the realm of payroll, artificial intelligence is helping automate calculations, ensuring compliance across multiple regions, and identifying discrepancies in real time, reducing the administrative load on HR teams.

By leveraging these technologies, companies can spend less time on the 'science' of HR, and instead focus on the 'art' of enhancing the employee experience.

How Liven leverages technology and AI to focus on the art

From streamlining processes to customising tools for efficiency, Liven's approach to leveraging technology helps them maximise productivity while prioritising employee engagement. Here’s how they do it:

Streamlining HR processes

At Liven, a tech-first approach drives their ability to deal with the science of HR. 'We're a very AI-first company,' Aaron Rau noted, explaining how Liven uses AI to automate everything from payroll to employee feedback systems. This strategic use of technology allows the company to manage its operations efficiently while focusing on employee engagement and workplace culture.

Managing global operations

As Liven grows globally, managing HR processes across multiple regions presents its own set of challenges. Aaron highlighted that 'Whether you have one person or 100 in a country, the complexities around payroll and compliance are the same.' By leveraging technology with global capabilities, like Rippling, Liven has the ability to manage employees across different countries with ease, ensuring that processes remain consistent while accommodating regional requirements.

Getting payday right

One of the most emotionally charged moments for employees is payday, particularly in today’s environment of rising living costs. As Aaron emphasised, 'Payday is an emotional day for employees, and getting it right is critical.' By leveraging tools like Rippling, Liven automates payroll to ensure accuracy and timeliness, which helps reduce employee stress and builds trust.

Reducing friction in HR operations

Liven’s decision to overhaul payroll marked a significant shift in its HR strategy. 'We did a complete mindset change around payroll. We wanted to bring all the mechanics and processes into a system that meant the user had low friction to get in and use it,' Aaron explained. With Rippling handling the operational complexities, the HR team is free to dedicate more time to the 'art' of HR; building relationships.

Customising for efficiency

To make operations even more efficient, Liven built custom apps within Rippling tailored to their unique HR needs. One such tool, M Quest, allows employees to log issues or concerns, which HR can then track and address systematically. This app helps the HR team gather and analyse data on recurring challenges, enabling them to engineer solutions or automate problem resolution. This bespoke use of technology allows Liven to maintain operational excellence while prioritising workplace relations, engagement and productivity.

The future of HR

There's the expectation that the HR landscape will evolve even more as new technology trends and workplace directions emerge. Some of the key areas shaping the future include:

• Hyper-personalisation: Employees expect tailored experiences throughout their employment journey, from onboarding to career development. By harnessing AI-driven insights, HR teams will have the ability to personalise learning paths, feedback, and employee support at scale, meeting individual needs more effectively.
• Global workforce management: As remote and hybrid work become the norm, businesses will need solutions to manage compliance, payroll, and employee engagement across multiple regions, adapting to the realities of the global labour market. The ability to streamline cross-border operations will become increasingly imperative for companies aiming to remain competitive and agile.
• Data-driven decision making: With advanced analytics tools, HR will develop an increasing reliance on real-time data to predict talent needs, measure employee satisfaction, and guide team structures. This will enhance workforce planning and make HR a key player in strategic business decisions.
• Shifting focus to employee experience: As technology handles routine processes, HR will focus more on relationship building and creating a workplace where employees feel valued. Personal connections and a positive company culture will become increasingly central to retaining top talent and driving productivity.
• Adaptation to continuous change: In a rapidly evolving business environment, HR teams need to stay flexible and forward-thinking. With AI and automation eliminating administrative friction, HR professionals can concentrate on leading change initiatives and ensuring businesses stay resilient.

The future of HR will require balancing technological efficiency with human-centred leadership. As Aaron Rau highlighted, the ability to focus on meaningful relationships while technology takes care of the rest will define how companies create successful, engaged workforces.

Master the art and science with Rippling

It's clear to see that as the HR landscape continues to evolve, the balance between technological innovation and human connection will be key to shaping the future of work. Companies that embrace innovation while focusing on personalising the employee experience are likely to be in a better position to succeed in this developing environment.

Rippling helps businesses like Liven navigate this balance by automating the 'science' of HR, from payroll to global workforce management, so HR teams can focus on building meaningful connections and creating a workplace where employees thrive.

Disclaimer: Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.

Meet the thought leaders behind the conversation

Two key industry leaders shared their insights and expertise in this article, offering their perspectives on how technology and human connection are shaping the future of HR. Here’s a closer look at the minds behind the discussion:

Dannika Swinn, Head of Implementation APAC, Rippling

As Rippling’s Head of Implementation for the APAC region, Dannika Swinn plays a central role in helping organisations adopt and integrate cutting-edge workforce management solutions. With her extensive background in project delivery and operational optimisation, Dannika has a proven track record of guiding companies through seamless transitions to new technologies.

Aaron Rau, Head of People & Culture, Liven

Aaron Rau, an HR leader with 20 years of experience, brought his deep understanding of People and Culture to the discussion. Having led HR efforts at major organisations like Fosters Group and Treasury Wine Estates, Aaron now leads Liven’s People and Culture team, overseeing the company’s rapid expansion across multiple countries.