Technology will play a large role in HR Management trends going into 2017. The focus, however, will be on people and transforming the workplace.
According to a new report from Josh Bersin, Principal at Bersin by Deloitte, trends in HR will emphasize empowerment, the employee experience, and creating a more human workplace. These are the main themes in his new report, HR Technology Disruptions for 2017: Nine Trends Reinventing the HR Software Market, released on October 4, 2016.
Bersin predicts that there is going to be a much greater emphasis on employee empowerment and the overall work environment. One of the key findings from his report is the “increased robustness” of how we think about employee engagement and cultural fit.
Technology, Disruption, and HR Management
HR management practice is more and more dependent upon technology, and the technology is playing a larger and more “disruptive” role in bringing about this shift in philosophy. This is seen in the trend towards combining more sophisticated people analytics, “always-on” self-servicing tools, and a greater social connection.
According a post in Human Resources Today,
These trends deeply resonate with the WorkHuman movement and community. We collectively stand at a pivotal moment for HR to integrate technology and humanity in creating a better workplace and a better employee experience.
Employees today expect much more from work and many of the HR processes that contribute to the work experience in some way are evolving. This includes processes for most administrative tasks involving benefits and compensation, recruiting and hiring, and employee management.
With the increase of cloud and mobile technologies, it is possible to re-invent many of those processes and more fully engage the hearts and minds of employees.
With that trend, Bersin notes social recognition as one example of empowering employees to recognize the contributions of others in real time, and avoiding the costly process of “top-down nominating committees” and the shortcomings of having a small “winner’s circle.”
Employee Education and HR
One of Bersin’s trends for 2017 is what he calls the “The Continuing Explosion and Evolution of the Learning Market.”
As indicated in the report, today’s world of corporate learning has evolved into a much more heterogeneous set of practices, all of which Bersin believes fall into four areas he calls the “Four Es”
Education (formal training)
Exposure (meeting and knowing the right people)
Experience (on-the job learning, apprenticeships, projects)
Environment (tools, support, job-aids, and on-the-job assistance)
Many HR management professionals are looking want tech solutions that are engaging, effective, productivity-oriented and scalable. Because they are looking for solutions that align with how employees work today there is a greater emphasis on team-based tools for goal alignment and coaching.
Bersin predicts that HR leaders will continue to focus less on products that automate and integrate their talent practices and more on technology that results in greater employee engagement, teamwork, innovation, and collaboration.
Another area he points out is what he calls “Next-gen performance feedback” where this type of empowerment is growing quickly. This is seen in companies basing this process in ongoing growth-oriented conversations instead of annual reviews or ratings.
An overarching trend is the push for “apps that make work life better,” and the efforts by many businesses to expand the workplace to include more human elements and meeting employee’s expectations for autonomy and control over those elements.
According to VP of Client Strategy and Consulting at Globoforce, Derek Irvine, these changes will result in a better employee experience, and better business results as research by Globoforce’s WorkHuman Research Institute and the IBM Smarter Workforce Institute has shown.
Job Trends in HR Management for 2017
Another move in the world of Human Resources is the shifting of job functions. According to a study by the HR Trend Institute, the general trend for HR jobs will be:
- Less generalists, more specialists
- A blurring of Marketing and HR
- 90% of jobs will be in HR Operations
- Traditional HR jobs such as advisors and counselors are disappearing
- The background of HR professionals becoming more diverse
- Learning with technology and AI will increase the impact of HR
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Getting help with HR best practices
At some point in the growth of your company it makes sense to consider other options for maintaining and managing the vast number of tasks and functions that fall under the HR department. While newer software and automation are certainly viable and beneficial options, it can often be far more cost-effective to outsource.
If you are considering outsourcing some or all of your payroll processes, give us a call. Let Accuchex help you in managing your HR needs, payroll processes, and staying on top of compliance demands. Get your Free Download: Payroll Outsourcing Guide to help you make an informed decision or call Accuchex Payroll Management Services at 877-422-2824.
