The future of the HR system

The rise of artificial intelligence brought an enormous change in the HR industry in the last decade. Some of these changes include the growth of the economy gig, increased push towards greater diversity, and recently the pandemic that has affected the way how work is being done. With these changes, new trends in the HR industry will continue to drive transformation and are emerging to shape the future of work. 

The rise of the pandemic and the changes brought by it to large and small companies across every industry is a lesson that taught them that companies that do not transform will get left behind by those who do. Specifically in developing a digital transformation strategy that will last, and more importantly, extends beyond technology to tackle people-centric issues. In light of the pandemic, the understanding industry shift is critical to keeping pace with the rapid development taking place and also taking into consideration the welfare of employees. So, here are some of the HR trends to make you informed for your organization:

1. Virtual work is here to stay

One of the changes the pandemic has brought is the shift from traditional office setup to work-from-home setup and freelancing. For some companies, this change is permanent. When the world opens back up again, it is clear that the working environment won’t return to what it used to be. Some companies have embraced the normality of working from home for those employees who do not need to be in the office (such as to maintain servers). So, it is clear that the increasing remote, digital work environment won’t disappear once the pandemic is over. 

2.  Digital-first work

Given the change to a more virtual and more disconnected office, we expect that companies will focus on digital tools. One of the most important factors in sustaining this new way of work is introducing digital collaboration platforms. Some countries not facing the pandemic restrictions have also developed a hybrid approach, with workers going to a physical office but not as regularly as before. In this type of setup, the HR system is faced with a challenge where they have to be also in the digital world and goes beyond supporting changes that lead to “transformation-based initiatives”.

3. Teams play an important role

Creating virtual teams that go along with virtual work is one of the big moves for the new working setup. These teams combine people and technology to create an outcome rapidly with a greater scale for any company. But to have a great team is to have a good collaboration and communication among individuals amidst being isolated from one another. So the HR system is the most important component of this. The HR department then should think of ways how to build a strong team bond among the members, using virtual elements.

4. Employee experience is redefined

Focusing on the experience of employees can make the company boost productivity, improve satisfaction, lead to greater employee loyalty and encourage investment in the company’s vision.

5. Mental health

Mental health is one of the aspects this pandemic has hit this past year. Depression, work burnout, and stress can sometimes be from working in an unfavorable environment at your working environment. We are living in an unprecedented time, stress, and uncertainty facing a vast amount of the population have taken a toll on most people and companies should aid their employees’ mental health in different ways. Some of these are to access licensed counselors, a recognition program, virtual team building, weekly or monthly challenges that promote mental health, and more.