HR moving forward in 2019

The human resources function has evolved significantly over the past few years and there are a number of key drivers that have shifted the way HR teams operate. Throughout 2018, there were numerous changes across the political and social landscape along with cultural impacts both locally and globally. These factors have created a shift in thinking and therefore practices, which will require businesses to adopt a new approach to human resources policies and processes.

There are two main areas of significant change that have been impacting the HR sector and will continue to affect the industry throughout 2019.

Technology and HR

The benefits of AI in HR have been a hot topic of discussion over the past 12 months. In order to stay ahead, HR professionals will need to understand the impact of this, but more importantly, integrate themselves with the evolving technology. At the executive level over the next year, the focus will be around driving sustainable initiatives, whilst ensuring that there is a robust plan to prepare businesses for the advancement of technology over the next 12 months. Understanding how this will affect engagement and attraction strategies, the knock-on effect with regards to staff turnover and succession planning, as well as the effects on the employee value proposition, vision and purpose, is vital for HR leaders in 2019.

The best way to prepare for changes in the sector is by working with the very best talent specialists. The best recruiters will be able to leverage success in this new landscape by attracting high potential talent, even before a professional actively begins their job search. They will also understand the importance of being socially engaged across a number of different platforms, and will ultimately secure the future success of a business by understanding the next generation of the workforce.

According to a survey from the CIPD, just 21% of the UK HR population feel confident enough to conduct advanced multivariate analysis required to make the most of people analytics. It is vital that we up-skill this population ASAP, or the risk is that your business will be left behind as your competition hire, attract and retain today’s best talent. Through the advancement of technology in areas like talent, HR leaders can secure the growth of their businesses and ensure that they remain competitive in their marketplace. These are happening very quickly, so early adopters will benefit most and stay ahead of their competition.

Creating an inclusive work environment

As HR is often at the forefront of attraction and hiring strategies for a business, boosting the diversity of an organisation needs to be a key topic. Attracting professionals from a more diverse pool of talent, and then proactively choosing to improve the representation of minority groups should continue to be a goal for all businesses. In addition to this, creating and supporting an inclusive working environment is essential to the success of any diversity and inclusion (D&I) strategy.

From the moment a candidate engages with an organisation, they need to feel that their differences are valued. From the wording in a job description, through to the way an interview is conducted, their induction, and right up to the day they leave the company. Leaders need to be inclusive in their approach. They need to seek diverse input from their people to ensure richness of thought and innovation. A business culture, therefore, needs to epitomise inclusion, so that each individual feels comfortable being their authentic selves in the workplace, accepted without exception, and that their voice matters.  

To build a truly diverse and inclusive workforce, organisations must be prepared to evolve: listen to different perspectives, actively seek out a variety of opinions, and allow individuals to challenge the status quo. The key is to eliminate groupthink and encourage change, to drive business success. 

When hiring, a clear D&I strategy is important but without the right culture, isn’t sustainable. At PageGroup, diversity and inclusion are high on our agenda. We have proactively redefined our business culture to support our strategy and have seen great success as a result. We are industry leaders when it comes to D&I and we use this knowledge to support our clients to improve the diversity of their teams and build inclusive cultures within their businesses.

Throughout 2019, it will be essential for HR leaders to stay current and up to date with the many cultural changes/developments that have taken place in 2018, and will affect the growth strategy of their businesses moving forward. To support this, it is vital to recruit the right people and empower them to influence, question and challenge business leaders in order to remain competitive.

For more information, to discuss how we can assist with the sourcing of your executive hires, or to explore ways to improve your D&I strategy, please get in touch for a confidential discussion. 

Beth Horsley
Principal, Page Executive 
T: +44 113 243 7721
E: bethhorsley@pageexecutive.com