With the impact of the pandemic still a reality in our lives, it is necessary to re-examine our HR processes, systems and people. Many organisations have been forced to become almost completely virtual, resulting in a focus on redesigning work in terms of what we do, who will do it and where and how it will happen.
Here are some considerations for 2022:
Technology:
We need to do an in-depth examination of the technology used to manage our HR processes and employees. With AI (Artificial Intelligence) evolving on a daily basis, it is necessary to ensure that technology is incorporated and accepted by HR practitioners and managers – a task that should not be overlooked. One must seize the opportunity to learn how new tools and platforms enable a data-driven strategy, for understanding, assessing, and tracking your workforce’s skills as they evolve. A host of new technologies, many of which are AI-powered, have hit the market recently and these will make the processes more scientific, scalable, and efficient. Some of these new tools can help with targeted job advertising and expansive candidate searches – simplifying the role of the HR practitioner, saving time and money.
Change Management:
We need to acknowledge that our workforce is change fatigued (according to a recent Gartner report where 54% of HR leaders indicated that their employees are fatigued from all the change that has taken place). It is therefore imperative to ensure that great emphasis is placed on positive change and how this is communicated to your workforce. Specific change management strategies need to be developed and implemented, and regular evaluations need to be done to gauge the adoption rate of the changes that are introduced into the organization.
Internal Mobility:
Before looking externally, recruiting from within the organisation makes perfect sense! In LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends 2020 report, 81% of talent professionals agreed that it improves retention, 69% agree that it accelerates new hire productivity and 63% agree that it accelerates the hiring process.
“2022 could really be the year that internal mobility gets cranked up a notch! 51% of learning and development pros stated that it’s a greater priority now than it ever was.”
–LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report 2021
Look at what your current workforce has to offer and help them improve on those skills. With the likelihood of budget cuts all around, it makes perfect sense as it will not only shorten recruitment processes but could result in better employee retention.
Managing a diverse workforce:
Organisations currently face the likelihood of incorporating 5 generations in the workforce. This poses a potential challenge to managers and it is important for the organization to ensure that their managers are equipped to handle this adequately. Different generations will have different preferences and expectations from an employer and it is important for managers to be able to identify and manage this. On the flip side, there will be many similarities between the different generations and if identified, could make the management process a lot simpler. There will be many common themes amongst the generations and it would therefore be advisable to focus on the similarities and use this to your advantage.
What can Organisations do to incorporate the above into their HR strategies?
- HR Professionals might want to take more of a consultative approach in order to identify problems rather than prescribe solutions.
- Connect with your managers and understand their pain points
- Evaluate your current technology and identify benefits by incorporating new technologies and processes
- Analyze your people – understand why they do what they do and what they require (you don’t have to meet every requirement but it will most certainly provide a good idea of what you are dealing with.) You might be surprised by what innovate ideas could be born out of a consultation process.
- Gather and analyze your employee data to determine trends and pain points.
Do you need an HR Business Partner to help you implement any of the above? Contact us today to discuss our cost-effective solutions. Get in touch via info@norcoinc.co.za or via our website on www.norcoinc.co.za
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Yolandi Nortje, owner of Norco Inc.