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This post highlights future HR trends 2022 that you should know before heading into the next year.
Latest Update – Recent HR Trends 2025: Transforming the Future of Workplace Strategies are also out, and you may read them to know what the future of HR may look like.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a paradigm shift in the way we work. The sudden change in the work approach as well as the emergence of new technologies have had a significant impact on the future of work.
List of Future HR Trends 2022
1. Adopting Hybrid Work Model as the Future of Work
COVID-19 has compelled organizations to adopt the hybrid work model where employees continue to work remotely as well as on-site.
Hybrid work environment seems to be the future of work. In the coming year, this HR trend is expected to continue. According to research, “79% of the C-suite will permit their staff to split their time between corporate offices and remote working, if their job allows for it.”
The intent is to empower employees and keep them engaged even when the times are difficult. Instead of focusing on where employees work, the entire focus is on delivering better results. This global HR trend where employees can enjoy the perks of working from home as well as the office – is surely going to be one of the future HR trends 2022.
2. Developing Employee Skills for Competitive Edge
Upskilling employees has always been one of the key HR trends. The need is possibly more now than ever before.
During the coronavirus pandemic, limited access to overseas talent and shortage of multi-talented professionals lead to the rising demand in employee skill development. Employers thus realized that they need to forecast future skill needs of employees in order to meet upcoming company requirements. Instead of hiring outside talent, CEOs, CHROs, and HR professionals are now focusing on reskilling and upskilling their existing employees.
This will be one of the global HR trends of the future and will last for long. Businesses will certainly adopt this trend in order to meet their growth targets, promote effective innovation, reduce hiring costs and meet customer needs.
3. Embracing Internal Mobility as a Key Part of Talent Strategy
One of the future HR trends that will reign in 2022 is internal mobility. The internal mobility refers to the movement of existing employees across different departments or roles within the organization.
An internal mobility program ensures employee retention and leadership development. It also reduces cost, time and effort in hiring outside talent.
Who wouldn’t want to leverage these benefits?
The successful cross-functional movement of employees starts with the right decision makers and a receptive work culture. In order to grow, leadership and HR must develop a culture where employees learn new skills.
Use training programs, right resources and technology to implement internal mobility strategies. Make it evident for your employees that they can scale up their careers and achieve long term career goals within the organization. This will help companies to retain top talent as well as prepare future leaders.
4. Creating A Diverse and Inclusive Workforce is the Rising Need
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is going to be one of the HR future trends. According to a Gartner study, “45% of HR professionals plan to spend more on diversity and inclusion.” However, before HR professionals invest in diversity and inclusion initiatives, it is necessary to understand the concept.
Companies that wish to grow must hire people from various educational, socioeconomic backgrounds as well as people with diverse beliefs. The diverse and inclusive workforce brings a large pool of skills, capabilities and experience. A diverse workforce (in respect to age, race, religion, nationality, sexual orientations, gender identity, and national origin) also brings a diverse set of viewpoints and perspectives.
This isn’t going to be just one of the 2022 HR trends; it’s an HR priority that will help organisations reach their full potential by bringing together diverse teams.
5. Using People Analytics for Data-Driven Decisions
People analytics is one of the key HR trends for the future and is surely going to stay for long.
Analytics empowers the leadership to efficiently analyze workforce data and helps businesses optimize their productivity. Today, the majority of organizations are using analytics for making informed decisions in areas pertaining to managing employee retention risks, improving engagement, managing HR costs and more.
The rise of HR technology and cloud HR solutions have made it possible to leverage people analytics. It has also helped in transforming HR practices.
6. Making Employee Wellness a Top Priority for Engaged Workforce
Employees have undoubtedly been stressed since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. This has given rise to several health issues in employees. As a result, employers feel more responsible towards employee wellness and making it a foremost priority. A finding by Global Wellness Institute states that 65% of companies are increasing spending on mental health wellness for their employees.
In the coming year, we will see employee wellness and wellbeing as one of the top HR trends for the future. Employers have been observed to provide workplace wellness programs to promote employee wellbeing. The focus is to improve employee’s physical and mental health, while also increasing their productivity and engagement.
To begin with, HR professionals need to follow the global HR trends by encouraging employees to take care of their health. Taking part in on-site fitness classes and eating healthier food is important. Moreover, seeking mental health counselling and engaging in other healthy practices are some of the ways to improve health.
7. Building a Multi-Generational Workforce to Create Engaging Work Culture
It is exciting to know that in 2022, workplaces will have a mix of employees from 5 different generations, varying from traditionalists to Generation Z. Identifying the ways to manage multi-generational workforce and minimizing their differences is going to be one of the prominent 2022 HR trends.
According to a Deloitte’s report, only 6% of respondents believe that their leaders are equipped to lead a multigenerational workforce effectively. The traditionalists are said to be less tech savvy and place less emphasis on career advancement opportunities. On the other hand, millennials and generation Z are more likely to prefer companies with better growth opportunities and digital work environments.
Hence, in the coming year, managing the multigenerational workforce could be a challenge for organizations. Avoiding stereotypes, getting actively involved with people, and encouraging frequent interactions are thus few ways to manage this workforce better. Most importantly, HR professionals need to understand behavior, mindset and expectations of the multi-generational workforce, and provide suitable solutions accordingly!
8. Implementing All-in-One Online HR Tools to Manage Various Processes During COVID-19
Over the years, we have seen rapid adoption of HR technology. Automation in HR is a reality that has nearly touched all aspects of human resource management.
In 2022, advanced HR technology solutions will continue to shift the workplace dynamics significantly. Josh Bersin has said, that the market for HR technology solutions is reportedly around $400 billion globally. This number in itself reveals the future of HR tech.
HR technology transformation is preparing organizations for a challenging time and offers benefits such as:
- Automate and streamline end-to-end HR processes
- Provide a single online platform for managing employee data
- Improve employee productivity and engagement
- Offer real-time data for informed decision making
- Keep workforce connected and collaborative
- Meet compliance requirements
- Security of employee data
- and a lot more…
In addition, the modern workplaces are also using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to meet the business needs. Hence, the coming year will witness abundant use of HR technology solutions. These would be used to overcome HR challenges and improve business efficiency and workplace productivity.
9. Adopting Cyber Security Practices to Build a Secure Work Environment
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in cyber threats. Businesses have witnessed new cyber security challenges with the remote work model. Phishing and malware being the most common threats.
Therefore, creating a secure environment and implementing best cybersecurity practices is surely going to be one of the key future HR trends 2022.
Firstly, blockchain technology would significantly improve data security. Secondly, providing role based access controls to the users and giving them limited access to confidential data is another way to avoid cyber risks. Finally, HR professionals can work with IT experts and educate employees about the rising threats and losses caused due to cybercrimes.
As a result, these initiatives will help organizations to build a secure working environment without risks.
10. Focusing on Employee Experience will Continue to be One of the HR trends for the future
Employee Experience (EX) is not a new term for HR professionals. It is rightly said that employees are the most important asset for any organization. Highly engaged employees, undoubtedly perform better. They also serve customers to the best of their abilities, thus boosting company growth and revenue.
Therefore, Employee Experience will surely reign as one of the top HR trends for the future.
A study by Gallup and Forrester research shows that employers who provide exceptional employee experiences have highly motivated employees. The satisfied and motivated employees perform better resulting in:
- 17% higher productivity
- 21% higher profitability
- 81% higher customer satisfaction
In short, it is essential to identify employee expectations and needs. Employers can improve employee experience by creating a positive work culture and promoting employee wellbeing. Employers can also conduct engagement programs, and maintain a consistent human touch throughout an employee’s journey in the organization.
Concluding Thoughts on Future HR Trends 2022
2022 is about to begin! Priorities are going to change! Hence, now is the right time for HR professionals to stay prepared and embrace the emerging HR future trends. Employers need to rethink their strategies in the light of COVID-19 and follow the global HR trends for the future.
Through this post, we wish to encourage HR professionals and the leadership to follow the latest HR trends and adopt best HR practices. The future HR trends 2022 will certainly help your organization transform into a better workplace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. | What are HR trends? |
| Ans. | The new technologies and processes that emerge in the field of human resource management are said to be the HR trends.
Usually, industry experts, CHROs and HR software providers predict the global HR trends based on their research and current industry scenario. These future HR trends help organizations to implement HR best practices and remain prepared for the coming years. |
Q2. | What are the future HR trends 2022 that HR should focus on? |
| Ans. | The year 2022 is going to be very exciting and eventful for the HR professionals. They need to adopt new HR trends in the workplace. Some of the top future HR trends 2022 are:
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Q3. | What are key global HR trends and challenges for HR management? |
| Ans. | There are many challenges in HR management. Poor employee experience and lack of skill development adversely impact employee engagement. Besides, ignorance on employee wellness and limited growth opportunities are other major HR challenges.
As the new year 2022 is approaching, it’s the right time for organizations to prepare themselves. Adopt the latest future HR trends and overcome HRM challenges. |
Q4. | What are the emerging HR trends? |
| Ans. | There are many emerging future HR trends in 2022. To start with, rapid adoption of hybrid work models. Besides this, diversity and inclusion in the workforce. Moreover, employee skill development is also an HR priority.
HR also needs to prioritise employee wellbeing and wellness. They need to give more opportunities to employees through internal mobility. Hr needs to improve employee experiences for building an engaged workforce. In addition, using people analytics, implementing all-in-One HR software, welcoming multi-generational workforces, and cyber security are some of the emerging future HR trends. |
Interesting write-up on HR trends! If HR managers and teams want to succeed in this competitive market, they certainly need to adopt these emerging trends.
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No matter what business domain you operate in, 2021 has been a radical year for everyone alike. While some businesses saw early demise, others innovated their paths ahead and came out resilient and stronger than before. But that is not the exciting part yet.
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It’s truly an interesting article with useful information. HR professionals certainly need to adopt these trends to make their workplace productive and successful.