Top HR Trends That Are Becoming More Prevalent

As younger individuals continue to comprise more and more of today’s workforce, HR professionals should alter their strategies to keep up with this change.  With advances in technology and Gen Z talent coming in, the workplace will have to let go of outdated traditional practices in favor of more progressive changes. Taking this step forward will allow organizations to adapt with the times and find more effective ways to grow.

A successful method to hire and retain skilled employees in the workplace is to learn and utilize current HR trends to the company’s advantage. In this article, we elaborate on five prevalent trends in the workplace. Stay on top of them as they are expected to help companies succeed even further.

Dealing with Boomerang Employees

Nowadays, it is rare to see an employee loyal with one employer for over 20 years. It is a common occurrence for younger individuals to resign from a position in order to pursue another that will further their career. In that light, the stigma regarding employees coming back to work for a previous employer has dwindled.

Accepting these boomerang employees back has more pros than cons. Former employees are already familiar with the company and its work structure. That alone saves time, money, and effort on recruitment. After having spent some time apart, it is also likely that they have learned a thing or two that can be beneficial to the company. With that in mind, HR leaders should not be quick to cut off connections with skilled individuals. Retaining a cordial relationship with them is a key factor to having them return.

Emphasis on Workplace Flexibility

With the ubiquity of smartphones, co-working spaces, and other technological advances in work tools, workers are backing away from companies with rigid work schedules in favor for more flexible ones.  This is a trend that has been rising in popularity and is expected to be a work perk in 2017.

HR professionals have observed that there are almost no detrimental effects in employees having flexible schedules. Implementing this strategy will provide more access to talent. Giving freedom to employees to choose when they can work is an incentive that will motivate them to both stay in the organization and continue getting the job done.

Prioritization of Improving Skills over Performance Management

A few years ago, it was thought that extra perks such as free snacks and high quality coffee, gym memberships, and recreational rooms were the best way to catch the attention of employees. Although factors like these can help, ultimately, this is not what employees are looking for. A company culture that prioritizes coaching, skill development, and growth is what is sought after by younger employees.

 

Treating the Workplace as a Consumer Experience

Transforming work structure into a more consumer-based experience is one way of luring young talent. As both millennials and plurals comprise more of the workforce, the more consumerization of HR should take place. These individuals have been raised in a digital age, an age where they can connect with companies casually via social media and other tech-based means.

Consumerization is making the workplace a more social, mobile, and digital experience for them to engage with. This environment will not only likely retain employees but it is expected to inspire them as well.

Utilization of People Analytics

People analytics has always been used in organization. Usually, it is kept in a small technical group made to analyze employee engagement and retention. Now that there is more importance in acquiring and retaining talent, people analytics can be used in more proactive ways than before.

Through it, HR professionals can find out what employee they need next through survey question both inside and outside of the company. This action on improving the existing organizational structure will likely result in better hiring outcomes and diminish attrition rates.