Season's greetings to all our readers! Festivity is in the air, and we are enveloped by the Xmas cheer. As customary, we all look forward to welcoming the New Year and have high hopes for the year 2018! Keeping our personal wish lists aside, let's try and foresee what could be the major HR trends that may emerge in 2018.
HR as a Strategic Business Partner
In the upcoming year, HR has to engage itself as a Strategic Business Partner in the system. The tide is changing course, and HR as a function is now being given its due place as a Business partner and not just as another money-draining department, most view it as.
Emphasis on Productivity
2018 will also witness greater emphasis on productivity. The last few years have seen HR leaders harp about and focus on productivity. We see a slow change on the horizon. Traditionally, recruiting fresh blood was the solution to most problems. Going forward, harnessing the potential of existing employees and tapping in-house resources will gain momentum.
Flexibility in Job Roles
Over the years, we have seen a steady decline in the Tayloristic organization model, wherein everybody has a clearly defined and assigned job. With changing times and assignment-based jobs, flexibility is the need of the hour. The jobs have become more flexible, and employees are getting the opportunity to craft their own job, to make the best fit with their competence, needs, and capabilities. Teams now are not built of people with specific fixed jobs but of people who have specific skills that are needed to deliver the assignment. Employees with broad skill sets can use certain skills in Team 1 and another set of their skills in Team 2 in their next assignment.
Evolution of Learning and Development
Learning and development have also been evolving over the years. Traditional classroom training has been left behind, and learning 'Real time' has come to the forefront. A lot of time and resources have been and are still being wasted on classroom training for groups of employees on very broad subjects, often not directed at immediate application, but for possible future use. 2018 should see a rise in real-time learning. Going forward, big chunks of material should be divided into more digestible small pieces (micro-learning). Employees should have easy access to learning material when they need it (just in time). Knowledge and skills can be learned in a playful manner (gamification), and learning solutions should be made more fun.
The Rise of Social Media in Recruitment
Headhunting was limited to HR racking their brains and sifting through resumes on career websites. The penetration of social media has made it easier to get in touch with candidates. Talent pools can now be identified simply by searching hashtags, by posting requirements on Facebook/LinkedIn. Candidates can be engaged either in groups or individually depending on the platform. 2018 will see a rise in this phenomenon too!
Developing a Remote Workforce
Developing a remote workforce shall work out to be extremely cost-effective for organizations. The traditional setup wherein we have all our employees huddled up in a room/building is going to change. Work from home/working virtually works out to be cheaper for organizations and is the need of the hour. This now makes it possible to recruit from almost anywhere in the world. It will widen the candidate pool for companies and the job market for prospective candidates. It's also a way to retain current employees and boost job satisfaction through a better work-life balance.
Focus on Technology
To sum up, 2018's focus should be on technology! Technologies to find people, connect people, engage people, enhance learning, and even replace people! For years, technology has acted as a tool to help with day-to-day tasks, but the focus in 2018 will be 'technology as a way of life in the workplace'.
From India, New Delhi
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23HR as a Strategic Business Partner
In the upcoming year, HR has to engage itself as a Strategic Business Partner in the system. The tide is changing course, and HR as a function is now being given its due place as a Business partner and not just as another money-draining department, most view it as.
Emphasis on Productivity
2018 will also witness greater emphasis on productivity. The last few years have seen HR leaders harp about and focus on productivity. We see a slow change on the horizon. Traditionally, recruiting fresh blood was the solution to most problems. Going forward, harnessing the potential of existing employees and tapping in-house resources will gain momentum.
Flexibility in Job Roles
Over the years, we have seen a steady decline in the Tayloristic organization model, wherein everybody has a clearly defined and assigned job. With changing times and assignment-based jobs, flexibility is the need of the hour. The jobs have become more flexible, and employees are getting the opportunity to craft their own job, to make the best fit with their competence, needs, and capabilities. Teams now are not built of people with specific fixed jobs but of people who have specific skills that are needed to deliver the assignment. Employees with broad skill sets can use certain skills in Team 1 and another set of their skills in Team 2 in their next assignment.
Evolution of Learning and Development
Learning and development have also been evolving over the years. Traditional classroom training has been left behind, and learning 'Real time' has come to the forefront. A lot of time and resources have been and are still being wasted on classroom training for groups of employees on very broad subjects, often not directed at immediate application, but for possible future use. 2018 should see a rise in real-time learning. Going forward, big chunks of material should be divided into more digestible small pieces (micro-learning). Employees should have easy access to learning material when they need it (just in time). Knowledge and skills can be learned in a playful manner (gamification), and learning solutions should be made more fun.
The Rise of Social Media in Recruitment
Headhunting was limited to HR racking their brains and sifting through resumes on career websites. The penetration of social media has made it easier to get in touch with candidates. Talent pools can now be identified simply by searching hashtags, by posting requirements on Facebook/LinkedIn. Candidates can be engaged either in groups or individually depending on the platform. 2018 will see a rise in this phenomenon too!
Developing a Remote Workforce
Developing a remote workforce shall work out to be extremely cost-effective for organizations. The traditional setup wherein we have all our employees huddled up in a room/building is going to change. Work from home/working virtually works out to be cheaper for organizations and is the need of the hour. This now makes it possible to recruit from almost anywhere in the world. It will widen the candidate pool for companies and the job market for prospective candidates. It's also a way to retain current employees and boost job satisfaction through a better work-life balance.
Focus on Technology
To sum up, 2018's focus should be on technology! Technologies to find people, connect people, engage people, enhance learning, and even replace people! For years, technology has acted as a tool to help with day-to-day tasks, but the focus in 2018 will be 'technology as a way of life in the workplace'.
From India, New Delhi
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