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In recent years, HR strategies have drastically changed. From compliance regulations, COVID-19 and the shift toward remote work — as well as an increased focus on the employee experience — HR departments have been forced to constantly evolve. As the state of HR’s complexity increases, there are ways HR leaders can turn these challenges into opportunities.
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Workplace landscape
One of the biggest changes the HR industry is dealing with today is adapting to the rapidly changing landscape of the workplace. The pandemic accelerated the movement toward remote work, and HR professionals have been tasked with managing a workforce that functions across different locations and time zones. This has required leaders to revise their HR strategies, putting additional emphasis on employee engagement, productivity and performance, while ensuring compliance in all municipalities and states.
Artificial intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been on the rise and it has the potential to quickly change HR, recruiting and many other jobs across the board. While AI already has made a substantial impact on the HR profession by lightening the load of some administrative tasks, such as job descriptions and handbooks, it cannot replace the human aspects of positions, such as strategy and creativity.
HR professionals will be at the forefront of balancing the use of AI as a tool through policies and guidelines, for their own departments and overall organizations, but also, they will need to ensure human creativity and ingenuity is not lost with machine learning.
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Compliance
The constant in the HR industry over the past three years has been change, and it does not show signs of stopping.
Agile HR teams have managed fluctuating regulations and compliance requirements throughout the pandemic. Now, the federal and state employment laws and regulations, as well as changes to healthcare policies, benefits and workplace safety, continue to change.
Municipalities are passing pay transparency laws, companies with employees across the country must be compliant with each regulation and overtime requirements are constantly in flux. Staying informed on these ever-changing regulations can be a time-consuming and complex task but it is essential for HR professionals to keep businesses compliant.
Labor
There is a juxtaposition among key verticals. Industries that experienced exponential growth during the pandemic, such as the tech industry, are downsizing their workforce. However, other industries are still experiencing a labor shortage. HR professionals today are working with the C-suite to either determine layoff alternatives or develop strategies to find candidates with alternative credentials to fill growing needs. Recruitment and retention strategies are top of mind for HR strategists today who want to keep employees happy who either remain with an organization post-layoff or within organizations that continue to struggle to find viable new hires.
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Opportunities for success
Despite these challenges, there are several opportunities for success.
First and foremost, HR professionals must continue to be adaptable and willing to embrace change. What holds true in HR today is prioritizing the employee experience and maximizing its power to create a positive work culture. Leaders should consider developing initiatives that target flexible work policies and procedures, wellness programs, career development and new strategies for communication and collaboration across different time zones. These efforts can result in a more engaged and satisfied workforce, which increases retention, but it also positively impacts the organization’s bottom line.
The bottom line
HR departments are the backbone of every organization. The current state of HR will continue to be dynamic and evolve as businesses adapt to numerous economic, social and technological trends. What is paramount for HR professionals is staying abreast of these changes and being strategic in the guidance they provide leadership. This guidance will help the business take care of its people, who are critical to its success.
Niki Jorgensen is a director of service operations for Insperity, a leading provider of human resources and business performance solutions. For more information about Insperity, call 800-465-3800 or visit www.insperity.com.