What HR Trends Will We See in the Future?
By: Ronita Mohan
The HR trends of the future have witnessed a sea of change in 2020—the trends we were likely to encounter have altered drastically because of the current global circumstances.
Let’s examine what HR might look like in the near future as a result of the global pandemic.
Remote Workforces
There is one thing that has been proven by the current environment—a lot of jobs can be completed with employees working remotely. And this is an HR trend we are definitely going to see more of in the near future.
Remote workforces are becoming the future of work—and this will impact how HR functions within businesses.
Over the last few years, remote workers have become more common across the world—and companies are adopting this style because they are a massive cost-saving method.
Remote workers use their own equipment and space—this means organizations save on overheads and supplies. In addition, remote employees give companies access to a wider range of diverse talent—people located in different countries bring their own expertise that may not have been possible with local staff.
For HR, however, there are some complications. For one, remote teams work on their pre-determined schedules that don’t always align with the working hours of the company. HR and remote teams need to figure out the best way for employees to keep in touch—to facilitate better workflow—without being inconvenienced.
For remote employees from other countries, HR will likely have to organize and conduct additional training—not just for onboarding them into the organization’s systems, but also for them to understand the workings of the company’s home country.
In the immediate future, HR teams will likely find themselves transitioning into remote working models. This requires a complete change in thinking and methodology.
There are some remote team templates that can be used for the initial switch to remote work till HR has a handle on the situation and can streamline the process.
Remote Tools
With the steady progression towards remote work that we have been seeing, HR will also need to ensure that companies are equipped with the best remote work tools to optimize workflow.
Some of the necessary tools that companies are having to adopt include team chat tools like Skype, Slack, or other alternatives—so that workers can connect with each other no matter where they are.
Another tool that has become necessary is project management software.
When you don’t have the luxury of stopping by someone’s desk to chat about an innovation project, getting the right software to simulate that experience becomes the key to project success.
Implementing the right software will help employees stay connected and work productively.
More Flexibility
Flexibility is still one of the major benefits of remote work—a number of companies have started allowing employees to work from home for at least one day a week.
This kind of policy has massive advantages—it saves employees time on commuting and dressing up. Time which is then put into working and being productive.
We should expect flexible working schedules to become the norm for more companies—especially as organizations begin recruiting employees from across the globe.
There is another aspect of flexible working schedules that will impact HR trends—freelancers. The number of gig economy jobs has steadily increased over the last few years.
Gig workers are generally affiliated with a number of companies—they work on a contract basis, which can complicate the work of HR managers.
While employee salaries and monetary benefits follow a standard structure, contractors are often paid according to hours worked or given a flat fee for a project.
HR teams need to prepare to do more calculations and to set up a tracking system to ensure that contract workers are paid on time—cementing the goodwill they feel towards the company.
Modern Benefits
Companies that continue to rely on traditional benefits to keep candidates and employees happy will need to adapt to modern sensibilities.
To create more inclusive environments, companies need to offer more work-from-home opportunities, and flexible hours to accommodate employees who need to care for children and ailing families.
Ensuring that companies focus on virtual team building activities will make it easier for workers with children to engage with their teams without having to organize childcare.
Parental leave should be expanded for workers of all genders—with equal opportunities to return to their job, again with room for childcare.
Affording insurance policies that cover more than the basics will also allow companies to diversify their workforce.
HR will need to be at the forefront of these changes—and will also have to work on ways to market these benefits to make the company more attractive to new recruits.
HR Automation
Remote work is set to be something that will encompass most areas of the workplace, including HR teams. This means automating a number of processes to make the job easier.
For instance, using expense automation software makes the work of both the HR team and the accounting team more structured and less time-consuming.
A number of businesses have already started implementing HR software like applicant tracking systems, as well as employee onboarding software, and training software—and HR trend that is going to continue well into the future.
Companies can also build a chatbot that will answer simple HR queries—freeing up HR teams to handle more complex queries as well as get a handle on their other duties.
Regular Performance Reviews
Performance reviews have often been held on a face-to-face basis—with the move towards remote working, face-to-face takes on a different meaning.
These review systems will have to be conducted online using team chat tools and online forms. This is more of a change in mindset and work ethic—but needs to be properly planned out.
Businesses can facilitate this form of remote communication by using reporting templates to track progress and goals accomplished.
Changing HR Roles
Because of the global shift towards remote work, HR will now need to collaborate with other teams on various aspects of the recruitment process.
Areas such as the staffing website design and marketing for open vacancies in the workplace will need heavy HR involvement. This will ensure alignment between the content produced and HR’s goals.
Considering the current environment, many businesses are also doubling down on their succession planning, and it’s one of the HR trends that will continue to evolve.
HR is best placed to understand which employees are showing leadership abilities, and who has a cohesive and executable vision for the company.
They can then advise C-Suite executives on whom to elevate when the time is right.
The HR trends of the future will be pivoting towards making remote work a possibility for all employees.
This will mean getting the right technology to accomplish goals, track progress, and keep communication channels open between workers.
Ronita Mohan is a content marketer at Venngage, the online infographic and design platform. Ronita regularly writes about HR, content marketing, small businesses, pop culture, and representation.
