As we look ahead to 2017, we watch for trendsetters who already have done the heavy lifting. So, small HR teams can keep up with the competition and deliver impressive business results without having to reinvent the wheel.
To align your efforts to higher-impact outcomes for the year ahead, here are the important trends to follow in 2017:
1. Treating employees as individuals not as Gen Y or Z
Most organisations worry too much about the millennials taking over the workforces so that needs to end. It is quite tempting to segment workforces and it used to make sense, but this was before science and people analytics were sophisticated. We can now predict capabilities, preferences and motivations of employees at the individual level. We do not need to use assumptions like "younger generations need flexible schedules" to design companywide policies and career tracks.
Just as Facebook and Netflix delivering custom content to the consumer world, trendsetters in the HR field are making greater use of predictive technology to understand behavioral patterns of employees, and then they act on those insights with tailored programs and interventions.
2. Adopting a start-up mentality so that it fuels growth in HR
Though your organisation is established- big or small, agile or sturdy, everyone in HR is riding the waves of change.
HR is now a strategic player, which means that you are not just doing transactional work but also have got to find time to add business value and a lot of it. That is where we can take a lesson or two from the start up world.
3. Choosing best of breed solutions over core HR solutions
HR functions have been rapidly transformed by data and automation.
By now you might realised that big systems are not necessarily the best solutions as in a convenient investment (like a big "do it all" system from a single vendor) is not always the smartest choice BECAUSE..
· Big systems come with big price tags and big expectations. Which means promises of increased efficiency and seamless scalability had better pan out, or you will have some explaining to do.
· Big systems are inflexible and keep you from being agile. Which means you need interchangeable parts so you can add, remove, and optimize your systems without disrupting normal workflows.
· Big systems are usually bundles, like cable plus internet plus phone (but who uses phone service, anyway?). It is a package deal, and you are left paying for "add-ons" you do not want or need.
4. Updating employee skills
Keeping your employees up to date will be a major priority for most organisations. There can be various number of key developments in technology and a huge reason for this can be attributed to millennials joining the workforce already equipped with excellent IT skills (Skills that used to be remarkable two decades ago)
While generations ahead of millennials lack the ability to interact with technology in a way that is practically second nature, it will be the duty of employers to engage these employees into training each other in crucial areas of technology.
5. A move towards freelancing
This approach is quite profitable for both- employees and employers, because it could be crucial for some projects without having to commit to the relationship full-time. Most people prefer to work on projects that challenge their creativity rather than being tied down to one job, and major companies are seeing this as a positive trend.
When the cost of hiring a freelancer is compared to hiring an entire department, it seems as the better economical choice as well. Companies care about the bottom-line, so they are more likely to seek ways to exploit this model further in 2017
6. Performance Consulting
Redesigning performance management was high on agenda of many organisations during 2016. 2017 can be the year with more focus on performance consulting: How can we help people get better by providing concrete feedback and concrete suggestions on how to improve performance. Most people want to improve performance and frequent relevant feedback from various sources is an important element of performance improvement.
7. Workplace wellness/well-being to attract top talent
In order to lower absenteeism, attract talent and to save on healthcare costs, companies conduct wellness programs because employees have become more health conscious during the past several years.
Companies have realised that workplace stress is the biggest health issue that employees face so they invest in creating a more relaxing and healthier environment for them.
8. From individuals teams to network teams
From the static hierarchical organisations to networks of teams that are able to adapt to the continuously changing environment. The focus of HR traditionally used to be on individuals. Many of today's HR practices (as recruitment and performance management) take the individual employee as the starting point. The view of HR is also often limited to the people on the payroll of an organisation, with less or no focus on people and teams who are important for the organisation but not on the payroll. The focus of HR is now slowly shifting, from individuals to teams. Looking at networks of teams and how to improve the way teams are working together still gets less attention.
9. Use of big data in HR
Term "big data" has certainly caught on during 2016 and looks like it will become much more popular in the HR field in 2017. One reason for massive amounts of data have become so important is because of the development of analytical tools. A couple of years back, analysing was only for a select few since it needed a vast amounts of resources. However, with the increased efficiency in data analysis, HR is likely to lean more towards the use of "big data." In fact, it is predicted that it could be crucial to having a well-performing HR department.
10. Office attires are more casual now
Now managers say that employees wear less formal clothing than they did five years ago and nearly one-third would prefer to be at a company with a business casual dress code. So with the rise of younger generations, and more employees working remote, there is no doubt that the workplace is increasingly casual. During the year 2017, there will be a continuation of this trend, with more employees demanding to drop their suits and ties in exchange for jeans and shirts.
These are just some of the leading HR trends that will dominate in 2017. There are many others that will grow and evolve alongside the ones listed above, especially as companies continue to develop a more "human" side to them. It is a must to develop the human side, it has been one of the most common reasons companies find themselves struggling since they are unable tap into the full potential of their employees or even empower them. While many companies followed a platform that was structured and people were encouraged to work as a machine, if companies want to succeed in the future they need to remember the importance of utilising the human side of their business.
Reference: http://www.workforce.com/2016/12/31/4-hr-trends-put-play-2017/
http://hrtrendinstitute.com/2016/11/23/hr_trends_2017/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2016/11/01/workplace-trends-2017/2/#47ebde8233bb
