The events of the past two years have changed the course of history for the HR industry as well.
Just look at the following alphabetical list of subjects and trends. How many of these would have been as topical if we hadn’t gone through the upheavals of the pandemic?
From the A of Apps to the Z of Zoom, let’s take a look at what will be talked about during 2022.
Apps
The rise of smart working and the spread of smartphones are some of the reasons why more and more companies are adopting HR systems that include a mobile app. Intuitive user experience and functional completeness are among the selection criteria: employees must be able to carry out many processes using a single system.
Burnout and mental well-being
Two years of pandemic and repeated lockdowns have put a strain on everyone. That’s why taking care of employees’ mental well-being has become a priority for the HR department. This can be incorporated within a corporate welfare program.
Career Days in virtual format
Born out of sheer necessity, virtual career days have won over both companies and candidates because of their many advantages. Interviews are scheduled in advance, candidates are not subjected to long queues, the participation rate is higher, the pool of applicants is larger and much of the data is collected automatically. So it’s certain that these forms of career days will prevail in the future as well.
Diversity
By widening the pool of available candidates, remote work provides more opportunities to create a diverse and inclusive work environment. 2022 could represent a turning point.
Electronic signatures
With the dematerialization of documents and the spread of the workforce outside the office, electronic signatures have become an increasingly important feature of HR software. Most providers, like Altamira, have decided to integrate the services of a specialized vendor.
Four-day work week
Experiments on the four-day work week are continuing. Now all eyes are on the Scottish government, which has allocated £10 million for a pilot project.
Flexibility will also be a topic for discussion.
Great Resignation
This is what the exponential increase in employee resignations in the United States has been called, tied to the desire not to compromise on the balance between work and private life. Flexibility and remote working have become indispensable elements for many professionals. Many operators and media outlets have identified the presence of this phenomenon in Europe as well, albeit weakened by a less mobile labor market and a higher unemployment rate.
The Gig Economy and Generation Z will also be discussed.
HR Analytics
In our analysis, people analytics came out on top of the HR trends for 2022. To keep track of a hybrid workforce, a good HR data reporting system is critical.
Implementing AI
AI continues to be a topic of discussion in the HR sector as well, also due to the arrival of the European Regulation that governs its use. In Europe, practical applications are still mainly the purview of large companies.
KPIs
Measuring performance with accurate indicators is also a necessity for the HR department. A good method of organizing company metrics (Key Performance Indicators) is the balanced scorecard.
Leadership
Working remotely means having more autonomy and taking on more responsibility. That’s why companies will need to develop a shared leadership model (also called distributed leadership) that requires workers to lead or follow with equal ability depending on the circumstances.
MBO
The lockdown has prompted many companies to introduce Management by Objective (MBO) systems so they can continue to identify and reward merit. With remote work, the use of dedicated software is critical.
Next-generation eLearning
Like distance learning, online corporate training has experienced a decisive boost since 2020. eLearning continues to grow and become enriched with increasingly specialized content, experimenting with new modes of use such as mobile and micro learning. Whenever possible, the advice from experts is still to use blended learning, bringing together the advantages of online and in-person training.
Onboarding
The initial phase of an employee’s lifecycle has become particularly delicate now that onboarding is not always conducted in person. A great help comes from HR platforms, which can channel every step of the onboarding process into a foolproof digital workflow. This makes it easy to gather the necessary documentation, set up accounts, assign tutors and mentors, hand over PPE and personal benefits, etc.
OKR will also be discussed. An alternative to MBO is the OKR system, in which a main (qualitative) objective is paired with (quantitative) key results, which act as a compass for achieving the objective. This organizational tool does not involve evaluation and bonuses, but is rather a business and personnel development technique.
Policy
Over the last period, companies and HR departments have had to draft new policies to cope with internal and external changes. For example, smart working, social distancing, the use of face masks and Green Pass monitoring. New updates and new policies will still be needed in 2022.
Remote working
Companies have not only opened up to hybrid work, but also to working entirely remotely. An increasing number of job advertisements include this possibility, which greatly expands the pool of candidates available and can be decisive in convincing the most difficult-to-find figures to choose your company.
Sustainability
A company’s commitment to sustainability is becoming an important criterion in a candidate’s choice and a strong driver of retention. That’s why companies need to take initiatives in this area, including at the HR level.
Smart working and soft skills will also be relevant topics.
Turnover
In the United States, many companies are facing nightmarish turnover rates due to the phenomenon known as the Great Resignation. In Europe as well, workers seem more determined not to compromise on work-life balance, and companies will need to increase their efforts to maintain a high level of retention.
Telemedicine and Timesheets will also be relevant topics.
Upskilling/Reskilling
Rapid changes in technology and the world of work can overwhelm companies that don’t put in place upskilling and reskilling programs to keep staff skills up to date and introduce ones that are missing. Businesses can take advantage of the many forms of funding available in each Country.
Vaccines
Vaccines will remain a topic of discussion for a long time in 2022, and companies will need to continue to monitor governments action on these issues.
Workflow Management System
The requirement of the moment for HR management platforms is to also be workflow management systems. These systems enable digitizing even the more complex HR processes, in order to automate many activities, automatically involve all stakeholders and keep efficiency high.
Zoom
Video calling software took center stage in the toughest phases of the pandemic. Today, these are still used heavily to enable meetings between employees who are not always on site. However, one should be careful not to overdo meetings, or one risks compromising productivity.
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