5 HR Trends that will Shape 2020!

For many of us, kicking off the New Year brings the opportunity for new beginnings and resolutions. In the world of HR, a new year presents the opportunity to review and strategize the HR trends that will shape our agendas over the coming year.

From welcoming flexible work in your organization to understanding the need for inclusive work practices, here are our top 5 HR trends to kick-start 2020.

1. Flexibility

Flexibility has been a frequent buzzword in the workplace over the past decade.  Fast forward to 2020, flexibility is no longer desired by workers, but rather it’s demanded.  A recent study found that 62% of businesses worldwide now offer a flexible working policy, a number that is only anticipated to grow over the coming year.

Whether it is flexible work locations or hours, flexibility in the workplace has become a necessity to attract top talent, suggesting a make or break factor for many individuals seeking employment. It’s a win for employers as well, as offering flexibility in the workplace has been found to result in increased productivity, satisfaction, and retention.

 

2. Gig Work over Hourly Work

The gig economy is changing today’s workforce and the way we think about work.  Gone are the days of working 20+ years with one company; instead, employees are seeking working arrangements that fit their needs and lifestyles. “Gig” work is no longer just for actors and musicians, but rather for individuals in any industry including IT, HR, Operations, and R&D that take on critical and tactical roles involved in shaping the future of an organization.

With technological influences making the shift towards “alternative workers” possible, this segment of the workforce has become mainstream.  For HR professionals and business leaders managing alternative forms of employment will present new uncertainties. Producing a positive experience throughout the alternative workers “gig” will be critical to maximize their contributions; from recruitment and onboarding, establishing company culture, to eventually off-boarding and exiting the employment.

 

3. Agile Reviews over Annual Reviews

In 2020, we will see HR teams and business leaders reimagine traditional performance management and adopt more agile approaches. Do you remember what you had for dinner last night, or what you did the past weekend? Reflecting back over a year is a long time when providing feedback to employees. What we see more often than not is that the annual review process focuses solely on recent accomplishments and current performance issues. Yet, what we know is that the modern workplace is fast-paced and collaborative; employees are communicating in real-time and they expect the same for feedback with management. People want to know if they’re progressing and moving in the right direction and they’re not willing to wait for an annual review. Regular check-ins and feedback will become the new norm and continuous coaching conversations will drive performance.

 

4. Inclusion and Belonging over Diversity

For years, diversity has become a top priority for many organizations. However, many companies still treat diversity as a matter of legal compliance and lack the initiative to foster inclusivity in the workplace. It was reported, “not enough organizations take the essential steps of creating a work environment that promotes inclusion in all its variations” – rather, they simply check off the boxes.

In the next decade, we will start to see companies embrace diversity and inclusion as part of their business models, extending far beyond recruitment strategies. Inclusion doesn’t transpire simply because you’ve hired diverse applicants. Inclusive practices need to incorporate diverse voices into policies and procedures, have a committed leadership team that walks the talk, provide continuous education and training at all organization levels, and ensure there are inclusion enabler support mechanisms in place (such as shared agreements for how to treat one another).

Exposures from the #MeToo movement and gender pay gap have highlighted that continued work needs to be done and it won’t be easy. To start, leaders need to stop talking about diversity and start listening for inclusion and belonging. Authors Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy explain: “Diversity is having a seat at the table, inclusion is having a voice, and belonging is having that voice be heard.”

 

5. Human Experience over Employee Experience

As we’ve seen in the above trends, the way in which organizations do work is evolving and change is happening fast. In the midst of all these changes, one thing remains constant: the importance of your people.  One of the biggest challenges identified in Deloitte’s 2019 Global Human Capital Trends Report, was the need to improve the “employee experience”, with over 80% of respondents identifying it as an urgent issue. Although we’re seeing many organizations devote efforts towards improving the “employee experience” through incentives, rewards, and work-life balance, what is often lacking are the elements that are innately human.

What we’re learning is that the goal should be to create meaning and belonging for employees, producing solutions that enable each individual to contribute in a positive, respected and personalized way. “Human experience builds upon the foundation of the employee experience, but extends beyond work processes to focus on the meaning of the work itself, thereby targeting the most personal question that can exist in the workplace: Am I making a difference?”

2020 will undoubtedly be an exciting year in the world of HR. These are the top 5 trends that we see in store for the year ahead, and we want to know what trends are you facing in your workplace? We’d love to connect and hear from you.

Give us a call today and let’s discuss the trends that are impacting your business in 2020 and beyond!

 

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Last year, Pivot HR Services was featured in CPHR BC & Yukon’s PeopleTalk where we discussed how B.C. Still Has A Lot Of Work To Do Regarding Pay Equity & Transparency

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