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The most emerging HR trends in 2022
Since we are mostly in 2022, it is the right time for HR managers and employers to start analyzing the upcoming hr trends to determine the main tendencies that will shape the future of the hr function.
The latest researches conducted by several recruitment agencies have shown many interesting facts.
One survey addressed to 500 HR experts from several industries around the world indicated how certain HR trends are about to affect our daily working place. Many hr trends that have emerged during the pandemic are here to stay.
Trends like remote working, building a strong skill set, or shifting to more flexible jobs are tendencies that will remain in the upcoming years.
So here are the main five critical hr trends that will shape the year 2022
1st Hr trend: Changing management and organizational design
Some employees may show adversity to change in their working place… they can feel uncomfortable regarding new processes, a certain type of work of even the new composition of the team.
However, experts insist that change can boost performance, increase productivity …For some workers, it may mean drifting in uncertain waters which may cause anxiety, uncomfort and even an overwhelming feeling for many of them.
Mostly 54% of leaders say that their employees suffer from change fatigue.
The research also indicated that 48% of hr managers found that change management and organizational design will be their main concern in 2022, it is their duty to make change a less uncomfortable experience for their staff.
Hr experts are rethinking their change strategies in order to mitigate the change volume for employees. One remark is that the volume of changing experiences is the key indicator to fatigue levels.
Change fatigue is due to mainly two factors: one is disruption to employees’ duties and usual workflow when the change comes and the second one is exertion related to the level of effort we expect employees to show during change.
Hence, employers must find new ways to create friendly change that is neither disruptive nor exertive. Especially if we know that since we are evolving in uncertain markets, the volume of change will only keep increasing.
The main solution to this issue is building resilience. Hr managers must build resilience. They are not only focused on driving performance or productivity anymore but they are more interested in supporting employees’ mental health and personal development.
2nd Hr trend: Building strong and critical skillset
Companies spending time and effort to upskill their working forces has been a common practice for years, yet this tendency has been strengthened by the previous two years’ pandemic.
Experts indicated that what changed about skill set building is the urgency of this subject. It laterally becomes a must or an emergency.
Businesses need to upgrade their strategy, follow the digital transition and new technological trends that have pushed companies to focus on these emerging areas. Little access to foreign talents and experts has reinforced this need.
While planning for two or five years a growing number of companies have found that the skills they will need don’t necessarily exist in their current companies. Roles like data science, AI engineer, and Market research analysts are constituting a real added value to each company working force.
Several companies are adding new roles to address this problem, managers and experts must fight for a mindset change to review the skill set development from a why–not–have perspective to a “must-have “one.
Upskilling workers isn’t just about adding new skills in growing fields, it is more about identifying skills that might be over redundant in the several years to come.
Statistics have shown that one out of the three nowadays skills will be redundant in 2023, so that’s an extra reason for upskilling.
For instance, skills that can be deemed unnecessary are those that are operational or repetitive … all these tasks can be replaced by automation.
3rd hr trend: Future leadership
In order to build resilience in a workplace, employers must lead with empathy
The definition of managers tasks in these days are quite different from what it was two or three years ago.
Many employees are facing burn and bore out which may affect their performance. Here comes the manager’s role as a real leader who may help his team to build resilience.
When promoting people, managers and employers must consider people skills and their emotional intelligence.
One to the main hr trends in 2022 has shown that 45% of hr leaders will place the development of thought leaders as their one of their top priorities. Developing leader emotional intelligence will be the main focus.
Another trend is related to employees asking for more informal leadership opportunities.
Employees are thrilled to prove their own contribution and places where they can coach and monitor teams rather than having formal responsibilities over persons or teams.
During the pandemic and even after it, companies were guiding their working forces through difficult times by having many informal and empathic leaders. Also diversifying coaching roles in the organization can reduce the pressure that could be put on one person’s shoulders.
The usual coach idea has changed from someone who provides simple feedback on employees’ performance and skills to managers who are more of brokers and guides to experts in one or another field. Their task is mainly related to identifying the needed skills while pairing an employee with the right mentor rather than providing that guiding themselves.
4th hr trend: Inclusion, equity, and diversity
Social movements like #blacklives or #metoo have had a huge impact on public opinion during the last three years.
As a consequence, inclusion, equity and diversity have become essential priorities for hr managers and top leaders with 25% of them confirming that it will be their main focus in 2022.
Employees want to know the company’s position about DEI, LGBT communities before even deciding to join in. The same matter interests consumers and partners.
These three issues have become lately a subject that may be considered as a competitive advantage that can differentiate companies in the labor market.
Diversity, inclusion, and equity are considered as elements of the marketing and global company strategy. Companies use these pillars to seduce the right talents and make sure their business performs well through a combination of skills.
For instance, many staffing agencies provide a wide range of opportunities to employees coming from several backgrounds and ethnicity in order to promote diversity and inclusion.
In the past companies would never take a public position but in our day’s companies that don’t respect these three values may take some serious stances! Hr leaders must now take DEI priorities in concern to make sure they are respected and followed within their organizations.
5 th hr trend: Work plans future
52% of HR leaders said that planning for the future of work in their organization is their main concern in 2022.
To be able to do so, they must start with scenario planning. This process passes by evaluating data, looking to future hr trends that can affect business prosperity, and creating potential plans around those variables rather than having just one fixed strategy.
Companies must remain flexible and ready to adapt their offer and strategies during a short span of time to be able to respond to external and internal changes.
When you are thinking, creating your strategy, be prepared to change it and flex on it whenever circumstances demand it, rather than being fixed in one solution, you must be able to iterate it if needed.
Expert suggests to companies to prepare in two ways to prepare their scenarios:
1. Identify the technological means that can benefit your company. This is meant to increase efficiency and facilitate the digitization of the workplace
2. Allow access to overseas talent pools. If you need a specific profile think well if you are ready to bring him to different work conditions. So rather than recruiting permanent employees, hire part-time workers, freelancers and independent consultants from abroad to meet your needs. You can also think of making the job completely virtual
Staffing agencies like Pentabell always try to predict the Hiring trends that will mold the future of HR in order to update their strategies, know employees’ needs, and be more updated in terms of their services and job offers.
