At the end of each year, I like to look back at what I’ve accomplished: what went well and what didn’t. There are valuable lessons in understanding this before you start planning the next year.
It’s also important to look forward—no matter what field you’re in—at what you’d like to focus on in the upcoming year. For me, it’s to launch my new HR training program for small business owners to make sure they know what they absolutely must know to protect their business when it comes to managing their employees.
And plans are underway to hold an executive retreat where business owners will work on their business (not in their business) with other like-minded professionals. I will be sure to give you the full scoop once we solidify the agenda and location.
As an employer, it’s essential to your business success and peace of mind that you know what’s changing in the New Year. To keep up with the changing HR laws, join me on Facebook.
So, let’s take a look at 5 HR trends for 2020.
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An employee-centered workforce.
With the U.S. unemployment rate at a record low in decades, companies are competing to attract and retain talent. From STEM jobs to health care positions, employees with more options are going to be looking for attractive wages, benefits and workplace culture.
Can’t afford to raise wages? Read my blog 5 Ways to Reward Employees When You Can’t Give Raises.
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Increasingly remote employment.
A recent report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics said about 25% (36 million people) of U.S. employees work from home at least part of the time.
Employees are getting used to video conferencing with teams in other time zones and replacing face-to-face interaction with chat tools like Slack and WhatsApp. More organizations are making remote employment the norm rather than a perk.
Expect this to keep increasing in 2020 and beyond as employers realize it’s a must-have for lots of modern job seekers. If you focus on setting clear expectations from your employees, in many cases it doesn’t matter where they perform the work as long as it gets done well and on time.
Obviously, not all jobs can accommodate this type of schedule and not all employees can work without close supervision, but I encourage you to conduct a case-by-case analysis if requested.
Keep in mind, too, that you will need to take extra steps to assure that employees are engaged in achieving the goals and that they have opportunities to work together as a team on a frequent basis.
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Automation of tasks and procedures.
We’re seeing advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in various areas of our lives. Here are some examples of automation in HR:
- Utilizing recruitment data and employee demographics to decrease unconscious bias for fairer hiring. This shifts the focus to candidates’ skills and qualifications rather than on human bias factors such as ethnicity or age.
- AI-powered chatbots to screen job applicants and assist with the application process.
- Automated pre-hire employee assessments and completion of new-hire paperwork to make the onboarding process more efficient.
- Automated storage of HR personnel files
Human resources professionals shouldn’t worry that robots are going to replace them anytime soon. Soft skills are still very much in demand and there’s no substitute for human emotional intelligence (EQ).
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More strategic partnerships.
The C-suite usually includes a human resources professional because it is a proven fact that this expertise is critical to the success of any business. In the past, the HR department was often viewed as a tactical team that managed employee programs, kept the personnel files, hired new employees and disciplined policy violators.
But in the wake of scandals like #MeToo and the increase in lawsuits filed by the government and private individuals, HR has a critical role at the executive table where important decisions are made. (Some organizations have even created monikers for their human resources teams such as the Employee Experience Department and their top HR person as the Chief People Officer!)
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Continuous performance management.
Gone are the days of the formal, once-a-year employee performance review. According to Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends 2018 report, 76% of companies surveyed have made their performance management more ongoing.
Some of the ways organizations promote continuous performance management include:
- Quarterly or bi-annual employee objective setting and goal accomplishments.
- Monthly or weekly 1-on-1 meetings between employees and direct managers.
- Employee feedback surveys.
Continuous performance management leads to more engaged and productive employees and improves organization-wide communication.
It’s always exciting to look ahead at a new year!
And as we move forward, things like remote employment, automation in HR and continuous performance management will play key roles in hiring and retaining the best and brightest for your company.
What do you think 2020 will mean for your small business?
Business Leadership, Business Management, Team Management