Evolving HR -Predictions for 2015

The field of human resources is always changing as the business world continues to move forward. HR will evolve quite a bit this year in response to the changing demographics of the workforce and the effects that fast-paced technology changes have on how we do business. Unlike in the past, hiring is all about the mutually beneficial relationship. Both employees and hiring companies alike have to put their best foot forward. For potential employers, this means that candidates can find out information about the company just as easily as finding a good place to grab lunch. Bersin by Deloitte’s founder, Josh Bersin, forecasted 9 ways that HR will change and affect your office during the year:

1. “Culture, diversity, engagement, and retention will be front-burner issues.” Engagement and culture will become the core of all HR’s activities. This is mostly due to how transparent the current job market is – potential candidates will be able to tell exactly what your work environment is like. By keeping your employees happy, they will perform better and attract good candidates for open positions. Some of the ways to please your employees include giving them a comfortable work space, enjoyable managers, and mission that excites them.  All of these are components of the culture of your organization, and when hiring you must think about finding people that fit into it.
2. “Performance management will continue to be redesigned.” In the past year, many companies have shifted the focus of their performance management process to employee development. As the Millennials enter the workforce, the skills demand has made coaching and development opportunities a major focus. This year, review your goals of performance management and update the process to get the outcomes you are seeking.
3. “More companies will deal with overwhelmed employees.” The prevalence of technology in modern society means that employees never actually “leave” work because they can always be contacted. It is easy for employees to become stressed and overwhelmed when they never get a break. As the year progresses, consider making changes to open up employees’ work environments so they allow movement or take out unnecessary process steps. Any program, big or small, that brings joy or relaxation to your workers can help to achieve a healthy balance and prevent extra stress.
4. “Corporate learning will be transformed and will take on more importance.” The increases in computerization have led to fewer jobs and dramatic changes in job structure. Because of these changes, earnings have not grown for many people but training can help. As more and more training options become available, make sure to analyze and choose the ones that will best benefit your company and help to create a culture that values learning. This type of culture will help to foster good relationships among coworkers and leaders.
5. “Companies will redesign talent acquisition, leveraging network recruiting, brand reach and new technologies.” Finding and acquiring the right people for the job has, and will continue to be, the most important service managers can provide for their companies. Recruitment has changed as much as technology has because people are able to access a globalized network of jobs. Focus on building strong relationships with the hiring managers and helping them to learn how to pick out the best talent. To find the right people, don’t hesitate to use both internal and external networks.
6. “Talent mobility and career management strategies will become necessary to compete.” Hiring new talent has many costs associated with it. These can include the cost of the hiring process, any lost production, and the cost of learning. By creating a plan that allows employees to move through the company during their career, you can avoid the hiring cost and employees will become more understanding of how the company works. Creating this internal mobility plan is a challenge so, when posting positions, make sure they are seen by the people within the company and that employees feel comfortable applying. Having programs that improve your employees’ internal mobility is a win-win situation.
7. “Leaders will invest in talent analytics and workforce planning.” Talent analytics refers to figuring out what criteria you can use to hire the best people which leads to better retention rates and performance. You don’t have to buy fancy software, just sit down with some key members of your recruiting and analytics teams to discuss a plan to analyze your workforce and figure out what your talent analytics will be. Don’t jump at the first technological “fix” to talent analytics and focus on finding your team first.
8. “Companies will take advantage of new tools in HR technology.” With all the new technology available, it is important to analyze your current HR system and determine if it needs to be updated. The most popular new systems are cloud-based. However, there are a few things to beware of when looking at all the new offerings. One major issue is that many technologies focus more on engagement rather than the features and some functions can be lost in mobile apps. Focus on finding programs that are easy to use and easy to implement.
9. “HR teams will get a new design and a new focus on professional development.” HR professionals have evolved into consultants for their businesses. It is important for HR teams to have an innovative strategy to improve areas such as recruitment, talent management, and employee relations. The team should work like a well-connected grid rather than a traditional department.

Take risks and start thinking about your company’s plan for the future. There will continue to be changes that affect the workforce and having a plan to adjust to them is crucial to finding and keeping the right people. So, step outside of your comfort zone and try something new this year!