The professional world has witnessed umpteen changes in the last year and a half in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the same sequence, HR practices have been impacted by the sudden changes in the work environment, including the dependence on remote work, the hiring process, and training.
There have been visible changes like more millennials joining the workforce, the pursuit of maintaining the work quality and productivity in a work-from-home setup, and streamlining the remote recruitment process to suit company standards and employee expectations.
The work of the HR department of companies has been redefined to a great extent, and they have been reeling with technological advancements such as the extensive adoption of Robotic Process Automation(RPA) for recruitment, training, screening, employee engagement, and overall onboarding process. Artificial intelligence models have also been augmented with standard HR practices to make their job easier and more efficient.
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Let’s take a look at the most impactful trends and challenges in HR which companies need to stay vigilant about in 2021:
Talent hunting on a global scale will become a norm
Even during the pandemic, business growth continued for many industries, owing to the swift adoption of remote work practices and the continuation of employee recruitment. Global business growth is a function of a workforce composed of top talent from around the globe. Globalization of the hiring process has fetched healthy results for companies.
HR professionals need to be mindful of recruiting their employees from a pool of talented individuals in relevant fields without any restriction around the geographical location. A widespread talent pool makes the job of the HR department a bit challenging as there are plenty of potential employees to choose from. But the result is guaranteed to be up to the mark.
Remote work should be effective for everyone
The flexibility provided by the work from home paradigm has ensured that employees stay productive from the comfort of their homes and keep contributing to a company’s success. If surveys are to be believed, the remote work trend is here to stay.
Companies are contemplating introducing a hybrid work culture wherein the employees could work partly from their homes. The introduction of such a practice requires that the remote work stays effective for both the employees and the company in terms of productivity and collective goals. It shouldn’t become an impediment to either.
The HR department needs to take care of this aspect and make a strategy that suits both the employee demand of partial remote work and at the same time prevents the interests of the company from getting sidelined.
Increasing importance of cross-cultural training
Another emerging challenge with the creation of a globalized workforce, working remotely, is taking care of the training and development of employees based on their cultural background. The idea is to embrace cultural diversity and inclusion to allow employees to feel welcome.
HR professionals are required to design specific training programs for employees, keeping in mind their strengths, gaps in knowledge, and cultural differences. Investing in eLearning software like Docebo can ease this process. Docebo pricing is affordable, its capabilities are plentiful, and it is the one-stop solution for HR professionals to design, implement, and track individually designed training programs.
Employee success will depend heavily on mental health
Mental health issues like burnout, anxiety, isolation, and loneliness are on the rise as a result of remote work during the pandemic. HR professionals the world over have acknowledged these challenges.
There’s a need for HR professionals to evaluate the possible reasons for these challenges and devise strategies to keep employees motivated and prevent their mental breakdowns in the wake of a challenging few years at work.
Digital transformation of HR
The job of HR professionals has undergone a facelift with the addition of many digital tools to their arsenal. The availability of automated programs for recruitment, onboarding, performance tracking, and training & development have made their job easier.
With the advancements in technology, the digital transformation is only primed for new additions, and HRs are set to benefit from the same.
Conclusion
The role of HR personnel is likely to face several challenges in the coming years, with an increasing need for creative solutions. The list of the above trends is in no way exhaustive but gives a fair idea of the challenges and trends that may follow.
