During the pandemic, many employees began working from home. While the change was abrupt, it paved the way for new HR trends. These trends include hybrid work and the 4-day work week. Here’s what this year may have in store for human resources and people operations.
8 HR Trends to Look Out for in 2023
Even though these trends have been developing for about 3 years, 2023 will be the year they will unfold as people become more aware of what organizations are offering to retain talented employees. As a result, in 2023, a trend will shift towards adopting a people-centric approach.
Focus on Complete Employee Wellbeing
There has been a lot of conversation about mental well-being being as important as physical wellness. The awareness generated by these conversations allow employees to understand that burnout is an indication of compromised mental well-being.
Employees are now more focused on preserving their mental well-being than ever before. They know that a healthy and happy mind and body are essential to having a quality life. If you are mentally unwell, your physical health is also impacted, and vice versa.
In 2023, we are seeing an increased focus on complete well-being and not just on healthcare benefits that tackle the physical aspects of health.
Perfecting Hybrid Work Arrangements & Flexible Work Schedules
Even though we are seeing more employers bringing their employees back into the office, the demand for hybrid work arrangements continues to increase this year. Now is the time to perfect your company’s hybrid work policy and tackle the challenges that go along with it.
Deal with the issues of diluted work culture and employees not being able to draw a line between personal and professional life now in order to perfect the model to make it equally beneficial for employees and your organization.
Employees will look for employers who offer flexibility. This stems from the moment when people realized the importance of spending time with family and loved ones and dedicating time for activities and hobbies outside of the workplace.
Flexible work schedules also allow more women and primary caregivers to participate in the workforce. Why? Because it allows them the opportunity to fulfill their responsibilities towards their families and work. Employees no longer have to choose.
Flexible work schedules will also continue to trend upwards because companies do not want to lose employees as a result of childbirth or other circumstances. It is a great retention strategy that can also help boost employee engagement, and therefore, productivity.
Internal Hiring
Employers are striving more than ever to engage their employees. One way to do this is to provide employees with a clear career trajectory in the company. This will help to fulfill an employee’s professional and personal goals, allows companies to retain employees, and keep them engaged. The company will also retain the hands-on knowledge the employee has gained over the years to fulfill other responsibilities.
2023 is the year when internal hiring and career progression will trend. Companies will try their best to retain employees for longer, thus minimizing the costs of hiring an employee externally, training them, and allowing them time to adjust to the work culture.
Gamification in HR Initiatives
HR initiatives like onboarding processes or training are not gamified. By gamifying activities, it shows off any organization’s culture in a fun and positive light. This in turn positively impacts the employer brand, which will attract better-quality candidates. For initiatives with existing employees like learning and development, it helps to increase engagement.
In 2023, more companies will use metrics that measure the effectiveness of using games in HR initiatives. This will allow HR to show top management the value of funding these initiatives.
Upskilling and Developing Employees
In many organizations, HR is at the forefront of employee development. However, with employees looking for companies that give them the resources and support they need for their career development, this trend has continued to remain in focus for 2023.
Learning, development, and training are some ways to upskill employees. HR can help align the learning and development goals of employees according to their career goals and the career trajectory they are looking to attain. HR can also be the voice of support for employees looking to upskill. This can be done by the creation of policies that allow employees paid time off for exams or certification tests or a flexible schedule allowing them to leave work early to attend classes or by providing hybrid work on days an employee has a class.
Improving the Employee Experience
The employee experience is one of the core functions in HR as they seek ways to continuously improve it. This can be done by promoting team-building activities, setting aside a budget for wellness retreats, and even allowing employees time off to attend events that are special to them.
Every employee is different and so are their needs. It is up to HR to create a strategic benefit plan that is inline with the company’s culture and to ensure the employee experience is top-notch.
Investment in HR Technology
Technology is a facilitator for the company’s growth. It is also very important for launching and improving the outcome of HR initiatives. Investing in software that helps manage mentorship programs and help HR to streamline this initiative while ensuring that it delivers the effectiveness expected.
Initiatives to Boost Employee Retention
It is a commonly held belief that employees of the current generation are job hoppers. According to Forbes, the new generation of employees are more loyal to their companies than the older generation. The reason is that the new generation is looking to work for organizations with shared vision and values.
It is up to HR to hire employees who fit with the company’s culture, values, and vision. The people who hire need to ensure that employees have an environment where they feel valued and are given a work culture where they thrive.
This year is all about retaining employees, not looking for employees willing to stick around because of loyalty to the brand. It is about retaining those who believe in the purpose of the existence of the organization.
Summing it Up
2023 is a year where new trends and behaviors that employees have developed during the time of the pandemic don’t only continue but gain traction. For example, the hybrid work model gained popularity during COVID-19. But now, employees are looking for opportunities where they have this flexibility.
