With the modern workplace changing as fast as it is, it comes as no surprise that many experience the growing pains that come with it. This is especially true for the post-pandemic workplace - a poll by Gartner revealed that a majority of companies (92%) anticipate that their employees will continue working from home in the foreseeable future. Given this, HR departments all over will have to continue to exploit the advantages of the format and mitigate its disadvantages.
Aside from the challenges of remote and hybrid working, there are several other pain points that will be at the forefront of global HR leaders’ concerns which they will have to address in these next few years. In this blog, we will explore some of these pertinent points and what it means for HR leaders:
Complying with ever-changing regulations
While changes in legislation are not a new phenomenon, they can be a constant source of stress for HR professionals. This is especially true for companies operating internationally, navigating the various jurisdictions of the countries in which they operate. Failure to keep up-to-date and compliant with industry regulations can often come with heavy-handed consequences, from hefty fines to outright closure of operations.
Dealing with a talent shortage and employee retention
Post-pandemic fatigue, changing travel rules and general job dissatisfaction, especially among younger age cohorts, have left many pursuing other opportunities. The recent talent shortage, spurred by the Great Resignation, has left many companies scrambling to fill vacancies, outsourcing work or even requiring to constantly subject the organization to restructuring in an attempt to adjust.
Executing effective change management
Employees can often experience fatigue after back-to-back organizational changes. This is especially true given the sweeping changes implemented in the past 2 years that undoubtedly caused many to experience fatigue, if not complete burnout. Even if the only constant is change, too many changes in an organization can create a heavy air of uncertainty that even the most resilient employee will find exhausting to navigate. The resulting decrease in employee confidence, engagement and positivity can greatly harm their ability to perform – reducing already precious productivity.
Improving employee experience
Given that many who have resigned, did so out because they were no longer afforded the freedom of remote work and scheduling that the pandemic afforded them, it would be pertinent to re-evaluate the employee experience their company provides. Failure to improve the employee experience can reduce the productivity of workers and increase their likelihood to resign, reducing a company’s capability to sustain itself in the long run.
Ensuring succession planning
The effective training and grooming of employees to develop their leadership abilities and willingness to take on administrative roles is one that is often overlooked by companies. This is especially concerning as Development Dimensions International’s recent study found that the C-suite rated a disparagingly low 38% of their mid-level leaders to be “very good” or “excellent”. Improper or inadequate training will fail to create competent, empathetic leaders. This will further deteriorate the employee experience and efficiency of the teams they lead - and leave companies in a lurch when those in leadership positions depart themselves.
Creating effective solutions should be at the forefront of the minds of any HR leader in 2022, as tackling these issues are vital to the long-term success of the company and for the benefit of everyone on board. In pursuit of that, many have turned to HR technology in order to keep up with the demands on global HR. HR technology providers are constantly innovating their solution suite to address the challenges faced by HR leaders. Engaging with these providers can provide HR leaders the edge in staying “future-ready” and alleviating their many pain points. To that end, our dedicated professionals here at OS HRS are always ready to customise HR technology and HR outsourcing solutions that meet your unique requirements. Get in touch with us today!
