5 Trends Forecasted for HR This Year

Julie Shenkman
Posted by


Every company is looking for the very best employees to add to their team, and anticipated human resource trends for 2017 show a move toward better ways to do just that. Expect human resource policies to be less trendy and more focused on building a company culture that truly values each employee and provides opportunities for growth. Here are five new trends for 2017 and how they are likely to affect your team.

1. Focus on Work-Life Balance

In 2017, a primary human resource goal is to find cost-effective ways to offer employees a better work-life balance. Look for flexible arrangements around family leave, vacation time and offsite work arrangements. Mobile technology makes it easier than ever for employees to stay in touch with the office while maintaining family and social connections. Expect more companies to opt for open-time-off options and to use the availability of those policies to attract high-quality recruits.

2. Increased Use of Technology

As human resource software becomes better and less expensive, more mid-sized companies are able to use these resources for recruiting. This helps mid-sized firms remain competitive with larger corporations and promotes faster growth. Look for more competition between companies for the best talent, and expect to find more software solutions to the problems you encounter.

3. A New Kind of Perk

Look for companies moving away from providing trendy technological and recreation-based perks. Instead, companies will be offering upscale mentoring programs, top-level training opportunities and high-tier assignments to show recruits that they are valued as an integral part of the company right from the start.

4. Coaching Culture

With the annual performance review rapidly moving towards extinction, many companies are moving towards a coaching culture to spur performance improvements. A company culture that emphasizes teamwork with managers who motivate in real-time keeps employees engaged and eager to do better. Great coach-managers provide regular learning opportunities and work with employees to ensure they have plenty of opportunities to provide value to the company and develop their own skills. Engaged employees who understand their importance are happier workers who are more invested in improving the organization and staying with it for the long term.

5. Better Use of Data

Modern human resources departments have access to a lot of data, but are often unsure how to use it. Look for more human resource teams collecting and analyzing worker data in useful ways. Mobile technology makes it easy to survey your workforce regularly, and that information can be used to develop a company policy that works better for everyone.

Watch for human resource trends in 2017 that focus on using technology better to recruit high-quality talent and to improve the work environment for your current staff. Look for new types of perks in the form of mentoring and training and a culture built on flexible policies with a teamwork-centered focus.


Photo courtesy of ddpavumba at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Comment

Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.

Jobs to Watch