8 Human Resources Trends You Have to Know About – Part Two

The world is constantly changing, and so is the way we do business. Last week we published our first part of important human resources trends to watch, here are eight more trends HR professionals can expect to see in the coming year.

Loyalty Uptick

It’s a time of uncertainty for our country, and workers may feel that they are on shaky ground. They’ll be more likely to stick with their current employer instead of looking for a new job or quitting to go freelance.

Why?

In one word: security.

In this landscape, a steady salary, retirement plan and employer-guaranteed health insurance are more appealing than a life-altering leap into the unknown.

Or… Employees Jumping Ship

Still, plenty of people will quit their jobs this year for a range of reasons.

Raises are stagnant across the board, and some will find that changing companies is the only way to move up the ladder.

Others will go freelance, enter new industries, go back to school, or leave the workforce to start a family.

This year, there may be more professional burnout that leads to dramatic career switches—expect to see lots of exhausted journalists and media professionals who give it all up for low-pressure gigs.

Boomerang Talent

Which brings us to “boomerang talent,” those employees who leave your company for greener pastures but eventually return.

Boomerangs are a double-edged sword. It’s great to have someone who already knows the intricacies of your company, who can dive right in and get to work with little onboarding. But, the adjustment can be tricky for some, especially if there have been major changes at your company or a long period of time has passed.

Boomerangs are a great recruiting resource, though. Don’t hesitate to reach out to someone who no longer works with you to see how they’re doing and gauge their interest in coming back.

Rethinking Diversity

Diversity hiring programs have existed for a long time now, but they aren’t always effective.

Many companies end up commodifying people of different races, ethnicities and genders. They hire a few folks to meet a quota, then expect them to assimilate into predominantly white and/or male workspaces without challenging the status quo.

This will be the year when businesses wake up and realize they need to commit to more than token hiring practices—they need to welcome and elevate differences of opinion, changes to company culture, and upheaval of their own systemic biases.

Employees Do It All

These days, more often than not, your employees have skills and experience that go beyond their title. They can do a little bit of everything.

It’s not uncommon to find your account executive brainstorming with your creative team, your administrative assistant running the company’s Snapchat account, and your copywriter editing video content.

HR should anticipate the possibilities—and pitfalls—of encouraging your team to share their full array of skills and experience.

Job Descriptions Phase Out

This multi-talented workforce is likely to bring on a big change: the end of the job description as we know it.

Instead of hiring to fill a specific position, we’ll hire flexible skillsets and desirable personality traits. Employees’ roles and responsibilities will morph based on the characteristics of the person and the company’s ever-changing needs, instead of advancing down a predetermined career path.

It’ll be interesting to watch this slow transition happen over the next decade.

Human Resources = Tech Savvy

There have never been more technology solutions for your department. Human resources management systems, online job boards, e-training software, benefits and payroll interfaces… the list goes on and on.

Your proficiency is crucial—and not only as an end user.

Employers may expect their HR teams to evaluate, recommend and implement new technological systems as businesses grow and change. Are you up to the task?

Content Creation

Your need to be tech-savvy applies to social media, too. More and more HR professionals are expected to run social accounts and create original content to recruit job-seekers.

If you aren’t doing this already, it’s time to brush up on your skills with Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Snapchat. Make sure you know the best practices of each platform, and how to make effective written, photo, video or GIF content.

If you’re rusty, schedule a few thirty-minute sessions with the social media expert on your team. They’ll get you up and running in no time.

Do you see any of these trends in your workplace? What other trends are happening in your industry right now?