Predicting the future can be fun, and predicting the future of human resources can be downright exciting. Here, we’ll take a look at the future of HR from our perspective and from the perspective of those around us, including industry-leading insights from others who have pondered this question before.
Ah, the future of HR. We see our industry’s future being very bright.
We think the future of HR lies in the HR professional leaning into their role as advisors and coaches, guiding the way for colleagues and becoming essential mentors for all lines of business in an enterprise. HR professionals will continue evolving into their roles as trainers, thought leaders and implementers, understanding future technologies and how to best use those to create seamless communication and training opportunities in the workplace. Recruitment strategies, too, will play a role, with a focus on the word “strategy,” and experts in the field.
Attributes we see that will be valuable for the future of HR include an open mind toward technology and its use in the workplace, as more and more businesses incorporate software that allows employees to chat, interact, project manage and create. Having a strong focus on the people part of the equation should be the cornerstone of any great HR professional, whether it’s today or in the future.
With technology advancing, HR pros will have to work to get out, meet their people and really dig into what makes their team tick. The opportunities for people-to-people contact are exciting, as other tasks will be more automated and HR pros will have more time to focus on the people aspect of their job functions. Management, recruiting and training all will have a more individualized focus, as professionals will continue to evolve and their creativity will continue to grow.
The HR of the future will also provide many more benefits as competition for qualified, strong workers increases. Many workplaces already provide incentives such as adoption reimbursement, paternity leave and flexible time off. Expect those and many more benefits to surface in the future, and embrace them. You want your company to remain attractive to job seekers not only in this generation, but also generations to come.
If you’re unsure of how to remain competitive as time marches on, take a class, attend a conference or even read a book. Expanding your knowledge base is always a good idea, and can spark new thoughts that can lead to new developments in your field. One final thought on the future of HR is this: check-in with your employees, now and in the future. Let them help guide you on what’s important to them, and keep your ear to the ground. You’ll stay abreast of trends and know your crew, which can only make you more effective.