Trends Likely To Shape HR in 2022 & Beyond

Introduction

The pandemic outbreak has transformed every industry sector and the way people work. The adoption of technology and its robust development has also accelerated the process of adapting and coming up with new practices in the recruitment process and HR management. From remote working to having a blended workforce in offices, the HR sector is witnessing considerably different trends from 2021. Largely impacted by the exacerbating effects of the pandemic, HR teams and managers were put at the forefront to confirm business continuity while boosting employees’ morale.

Many enterprises, including SMBs and large-scale organizations, intended to cut their expenses and laid-off employees. While the other forward-moving organizations invested heavily in building a solid IT infrastructure. According to recent data – 90% of HR executives will keep or grow their IT investments. It is crucial to know that emerging trends will drive the HR sector in the coming times. The following is a round-up of the trends we think actually have a chance of being important in 2022.

Adaptation to Hybrid Work Culture

A hybrid work environment seems to be the future of work. As per the research, “79% of the C-suite will permit their staff to split their time between remote working and corporate offices if their job allows for it.” The intention is to empower employees and keep them engaged even when the times are tough. Instead of putting focus on where employees work, the focus is on delivering better results. As the market is moving ahead on its recovery path and offices are opening, organizations are coming up with their unique hybrid work models having both sets of employees working from home and office. This HR trend where employees can enjoy the perks of WFH and the office will undoubtedly be one of the topmost HR trends in 2022.

Reskilling and Upskilling

Technology deployment and adoption have become the top priorities as companies seek to unify scattered, digital-first workforces. Technical innovation drove gigs such as digital transactions, artificial intelligence, data warehousing, data mining, and e-commerce which raised consumer expectations. Therefore one of the most critical HR trends has always been upskilling employees. Reskilling and upskilling are crucial not just for employee development but also for business growth. Organizations obtain increased productivity and optimize their investments by upgrading staff skill sets. Organizations encourage this trend to cut employment expenses, promote practical innovation, and meet customer demands. Employers discovered that to meet upcoming organizational needs, they were required to estimate the future skill requirements of employees. This will be one of the significant HR trends, and it will stay a long time.

People Analytics for Data-Driven Decisions

Expanding the utilization of big data in HR has been on the rise for quite some time. Especially given the digital transformation seeping its way across all human resources. People analytics is one of the crucial HR trends for the future and will surely stay for long. Analytics empowers the leadership to analyze workforce data efficiently and helps businesses optimize their productivity. Today, most organizations use analytics to make informed decisions in managing employee retention risks, improving engagement, driving HR costs, and so on. The rise of cloud HR solutions and HR technology have made it possible to leverage people analytics. It has also assisted in transforming HR practices.

Diverse and Inclusive Workforce is the Rising Need

Inclusion and Diversity in the workplace will be one of the HR future trends. As per Gartner study, “45% of HR professionals plan to spend more on inclusion and diversity.” But, before HR professionals invest in inclusion and diversity initiatives, it is necessary to understand the concept. Organizations that wish to grow must hire people from numerous educational, and socioeconomic backgrounds and people with diverse beliefs. The inclusive and diverse workforce brings a large pool of skills, experience, and capabilities. A diverse workforce (in respect to race, age, religion, nationality, gender identity, and national origin) also brings diverse viewpoints and perspectives. This will not be just one of the 2022 HR trends; it’s an HR priority that will help organizations reach their full potential by bringing together diverse teams.

Focus on Improving Employee Experience will Become Mainstream

Employee experience is the core of what an employee goes through during their employment lifecycle. A positive employee experience starts from job satisfaction to keep them highly motivated for work. It is important as a disengaged workforce can cost a humongous amount to organizations due to profitability, low productivity, and increased absences at work. Likewise, an engaged workforce is highly productive and has improved business outcomes and retention rates. Thus, the organizations will focus more on ensuring enhanced employee experience to navigate through uncertainty and ambiguity in the future.

Final Thoughts

2022 has begun! Priorities are changed! Therefore, now is the right time for HR professionals to stay prepared and embrace the emerging HR trends. Employers are required to rethink their strategies in light of COVID-19 and follow global HR trends for the future. We wish to encourage Human Resource professionals and the leadership to follow the latest HR trends and adopt best HR practices through this article. The HR Trends 2022 will certainly help your organization transform into a better workplace.