Technology continues to reshape the future of work, rendering many job roles moribund. As far as HR goes, it’ll continue to remain relevant in the world of work so long as organizations keep employing humans. That said, there are so many changes going on around, and managers will have to prepare for these anticipated changes. Here are some of the top HR trends 2021.
Understanding younger workers
Most organizations have at least four generations of employees – Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Traditionalists. The millennials make up over half of the employed workers, and the gradual emergence of a Generation Z group of employees will create a predominantly younger workforce; thereby, changing the business landscape. The values of this younger group of employees differ markedly from that of those from older generations. As a part of core HR processes and HR trends 2021, managers must be ready to understand them and devise new strategies to manage these younger sets of employees.
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Employee wellness is a priority
When it comes to HR trends and insights, improving employee wellbeing has always been a mainstay. HR professionals are continuously searching for initiatives that would improve employee wellbeing. The demands of today’s workers leave them extremely stressed. HR process management ensures organizations create wellness programs that promote employee wellbeing and ensure increased productivity. While many wellness programs focus on physical health and wellbeing, more HR professionals will begin to push wellness initiatives that will center around promoting employee mental wellbeing. This supports survey findings by the Global Wellness Institute that 65% of companies are increasingly spending on mental health wellness for their employees.
Embracing the gig economy
The level of growth by the gig economy is gradually making traditional employment history. In the United States, for example, one-third of all employees are gig workers. In India, the number stands at over three million. The degree of autonomy, the flexibility it affords people, and an efficient digital workplace have contributed to the growth of the gig economy. And experts expect it to continue to remain this way. As more people get absorbed into the gig economy, traditional employment roles begin to reduce. HR managers will contend with keeping traditional work appealing. They would have to optimize the workforce for agility and efficiency, create an organizational resilience framework, and begin investing in new HR technology.
Consumerization in the workplace
Workers now treat employment opportunities differently from before. They use a customer-type approach to evaluate their employment experience. Workers want to feel more involved in the process. They want the freedom to make decisions when it comes to their tasks and goals. These little quirks can determine interest and, or, performance. This kind of customer mentality will be a major HR trend 2021. HRs must look-out for individual preferences and be flexible while attending to them. A one-size-fits-all approach will gradually become ineffective and become counterproductive for organizations.
New ways to engage employees
Employee engagement has always been at the heart of every new HR trend and challenge. HR professionals are always striving to find new methods to improve employee engagement. However, they can boost employee engagement by creating strong and effective Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs. A CSR initiative that makes employees feel like they’re not only working but also making a difference can prove effective. Organizations can also begin to make adjustments in their organizational culture, whereby they move away from traditional hierarchies and embrace employee involvement in the decision-making process. This move can become one of the major assets of HR professionals.
References:
- India’s gig economy needs affirmative policy push | Nilanjan Banik | January 6, 2020
- 20 new HR trends & predictions for 2020/2021 you should be thinking about | Astrid Aira
- 2018 Global Wellness Economy Monitor | Global Wellness Institute
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