The human resources department oversees every stage of an employee's journey, from hiring to letting them go and everything in between. Their aim is to educate and keep staff, but new trends are emerging, and their methods are changing to work more smoothly and improve the experience for both employees and the company.
These changes influence how work tools are developed to improve experiences while introducing self-service apps and tools. Does this sound perplexing? It shouldn't because HR leads in adapting and understands what a modern successful business needs to thrive.
Here's a look at the newest HR trends and best practices to see where things are headed.
Flexible Working
Gone are the days when every employee was required to work in-house. Many companies are shifting to a hybrid work environment, creating more efficiency, cost savings, and innovation.
HR is responsible for maintaining cohesion and satisfaction among those who work off campus, so they strive to ensure remote workers have everything they need to work together on projects. They must be treated the same way as their in-person counterparts while still having the freedom remote employment provides.
Building a tight culture among all employees is critical, so HR provides a team environment through video and chat connections, hangouts, and team-building exercises that engage the entire team.
HR Consultants
Some HR departments need help to run the most efficient company with a happy and excited workforce. This is where the HR consultant comes in. These are professional companies dedicated to unlocking the potential of every employee in your company.
HR consultants create emerging trends and develop the best practices you see across the board in the industry. Whether you are a small company needing employee structure or a large corporation with an HR team that needs guidance, they are there to consult and plan a successful path forward.
These are the latest HR trends and best practices. HR's optimal role is to maintain a positive relationship between employees and employers by instilling programs and procedures that benefit both. These latest trends and best practices reflect that.
Upskilling and Transitioning
Companies often need help retaining employees during organizational shifts, but HR initiatives can mitigate this.
Upskilling works so well because top-performing employees need to be stimulated. This means learning new skills by putting employees in more challenging positions. It requires finding the right talent in those who perform well in other areas and gives them better career advancement opportunities.
Some employees will always be there to fill a spot and earn an income, so they, too, can transition to fill other spots that open up when others advance. The encouragement and reward of success create an excited and engaged workforce eager to be productive and take on new opportunities.
Work & Life Balance
HR departments recognize that their employees' work/life balance is causing friction and discouragement. People thrive when they are happy, but work can often hinder Changes can be made to positively affect the culture of the office by creating a better balance through:
- Flexible work schedules to fit family commitments
- Providing support services for those needing learning programs and health services
- Offering wellness benefits and other mindfulness initiatives
- Redefining roles to create better engagement and growth opportunities for employees
You want to end the phenomenon of quiet quitting, where staff don't feel valued, so they put in minimal effort. Instead, these actions create satisfaction and a feeling cared for while on the job.
4-Day Work Weeks
This is a growing trend that is getting traction in certain parts of the world, and for good reason. It is an exciting opportunity for employees to gain extra time for family and leisure activities.
This work schedule attracts better talent and increases worker health and wellness. On the production side, 4 - 10 of our work days have less production downtime, and on the fifth day, we save on the cost of running equipment, machinery, and utilities.
You get the same physical hours from your employees, but those extra 2 hours at the end of the day flow without a significant break in action. HR finds that employees love this arrangement, and there are also more opportunities for those who want to work the fifth day. This five-day staffing can keep the regular work week intact, with Tuesday to Friday shifting from Monday to Thursday.
Embracing Technology
In today's digital climate, HR departments recognize the advantages of AI and other technology. This can enhance the production of a workplace and assist in multiple areas. Education must be implemented to ensure employees see this as a good thing, an innovative tool rather than a computer that could replace them.
Things like data-driven decision-making, AI automation, and tech integration are the way to rise above the competition and be leveraged to benefit HR functions.
