With a new year underway, many business owners and leaders are wondering about 2023 HR trends and what they should do to stay ahead of the game and keep employees happy.
While business is constantly evolving in numerous areas, the most critical areas emphasize:
- Employee well-being, mental health, and work-life balance
- Employee engagement and development
- Trends in HR technology
Employee Wellness & Work-Life Balance
From 2023 to the future of HR, one thing is here to stay: Putting employees first! Your people’s well-being should be at the top of your list when considering HR trends to follow and which changes to implement.
Prioritize Work-Life Balance
Over the last three years, we’ve learned that remote work is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, remote work has been shown to significantly boosts productivity and efficiency. It also allows more flexibility for employees.
But on the other hand, working from home can also make it difficult to draw boundaries between our personal and professional lives and unplug, leading to burnout.
Whether from telecommuting challenges or simply the pressure to work long, hard days and weeks, employees are burnt out—and they’re sick of it. Today’s top talent are searching for employers that value their time and work-life balance with perks like remote work (just be sure to emphasize unplugging and reasonable expectations) and flexible schedules.
At the end of the day, people want more time for their loved ones, personal interests, and self-care!
Support Employee Well-Being
Speaking of burnout and self-care, people are also concerned about COVID-19, the economy, and current world affairs. As a result, current HR trends lean toward employee well-being and mental health. Stress affects workers’ productivity and performance.
Your team wants mental health care! The 2022-2023 Aflac WorkForces Report found that “nearly 80% of employees state that mental health coverage is critical, yet only 61% have access to mental health care as part of their benefits package.”
They also want related employee benefits and perks that support their mental health. So, what could you implement to create a robust employee wellness program? Consider providing:
- Mental health care coverage: An Employee Assistance Program is a great option!
- Fitness options: Onsite fitness center, programs/classes, or subsidized gym memberships
- Childcare: Either onsite services or a childcare stipend can significantly help.
- Team-building activities: These are particularly important for remote workers, who can experience loneliness and isolation.
- Natural light: A 2020 survey found that employees feel natural light improves their performance and well-being.
Employers that show a genuine concern for their team’s wellness and mental health will enjoy the strongest teams and highest employee retention in 2023 and many years to come.
Employee Engagement & Development
When contemplating workplace trends, you should also review employee engagement and development practices. Consider how you can keep team members motivated and excited about both their jobs and the company.
Get a Communication Platform
If you haven’t done this yet, it’s time—especially if you have a remote workforce! The pandemic taught us how vital ongoing communication is.
Whether it’s Slack, Microsoft Teams, or another option, using a chat platform is crucial for keeping your team connected and engaged. It also keeps projects and work moving by allowing quick and easy communication. Plus, apps like Slack can help with automated HR processes (more on this later).
Provide Regular Upskilling & Performance Management
Employees want ongoing, consistent feedback. Many also desire opportunities to grow, so fulfill those desires with regular performance management and coaching. Give them a chance to uplevel their skills for new roles, such as online courses and certification programs.
When you prove to employees that you care about their career growth, your company will benefit from a high-performing team with talent that sticks around.
You’ll also start seeing a shift from annual performance reviews to more frequent evaluations and coaching. Consider modern performance review methods, frequencies, and best practices to stay ahead of the competition.
Trends in HR Technology
Even though this HR trend discusses tech, it all comes back to your people! Leveraging tools not only helps your business but also supports your employees by saving them time and stress—among other benefits.
Automate, Automate, Automate!
With the plethora of platforms, there is no reason to continue using manual methods like paper and Excel for recordkeeping. Streamline your HR operations with tools like payroll software and HRIS platforms. These will help you establish efficient workflows, simplify people management and other HR tasks, and save HR staff significant time they can spend on other critical responsibilities.
Embrace AI Technology
Over the last few years, software and AI have come onto the scene in a big way—and human resources is no exception! Consider how your HR department can leverage and benefit from technology.
For example, HR chatbots can help manage tasks and analyze and organize employee data. They can also help manage attendance, provide company policy info, and act as self-service onboarding and training platforms. They are great for supporting remote work because they streamline processes. Plus, chatbots have capabilities for employee satisfaction and fun virtual engagement.
Another benefit of AI for HR: It can help you create a diverse workforce by using analytics to determine demographics like age, gender, and ethnicity. Using AI eliminates bias by taking the burden off your hiring managers and HR team and leaving it to technology. The tool will look at the metrics and a candidate’s skills to match the best person for the job.
Stay Ahead of HR Trends
The essential HR trends employers need to stay on top of include:
- Employee well-being, work-life balance, and mental health
- Employee engagement and development
- Trends in HR technology
Don’t stress about implementing everything at once! Evaluate your workplace culture, listen to employee feedback, and determine the ideal areas to focus on. As long as you keep your employees’ best interests front of mind, you’ll be on the right track to attract high-performers who will stick around and make your current team members feel valued and satisfied in their roles.
Need guidance on the latest HR trends? Contact BlueLion at 603-818-4131 or info@bluelionllc.com for support with all your organization’s human matters today! Or, learn more about our outsourced HR services.
The information on this website, including its newsletters, is not, nor is it intended to be legal advice. You should contact an attorney or HR specialist for advice on your individual situation.
