2022 is right around the corner. It means the right time for employers and HR professionals to analyze the upcoming HR trends.

Hence, it is useful for aligning your internal business goals with emerging HR trends.

The latest research by several recruitment agencies revealed many interesting facts.

One thing is for sure: Human Resources is transforming, and it’s no easy task to keep up. 

In order to remain relevant and stay afloat, businesses of all sizes had to be flexible and quickly adapt to new situations.

In addition, every HR leader has to maintain the company’s interests in mind and focus on employee wellbeing. 

Based on the SHRM survey to address 500 HR experts from several industries, certain HR trends are about to affect our daily workplace.

Some of the previous trends that have emerged during the pandemic are here to stay. Trends like building a strong skill set or shifting to more flexible jobs are tendencies that will remain in the upcoming years.  

Although it’s difficult to predict the future, your company can prepare by understanding these trends now.

In this opportunity, we highlight the top HR trends to watch in 2022 and how they may impact your business.

 

Trend #1: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) 

Workplace diversity and inclusion will be a future HR trend.

According to a survey by Mercer Global in October 2020, DEI was top-of-mind for organizations across the globe, with 74% of companies reporting an increased focus on DEI near the end of 2020. 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives will continue to be important for companies of all sizes. Recently, diversity and inclusion have been minor issues in many companies. 

Nonetheless, some companies are starting to see the value of having a diverse team. As a result, they pay more attention to D&I as a business strategy.

The inclusive workforce brings a wide range of skills, abilities, and experience. It also brings a diverse set of viewpoints and perspectives.

Companies that promote DEI also tend to perform better financially. Moreover, they find it easier to attract and retain top talent.

In addition to becoming the 2022 HR Trends, DEI is also an HR Priority. It helps organizations reach their full potential by bringing together diverse teams.

 

Read also

Diversity In The Workplace: The Benefit For Every Business

 

Trend #2: Reskilling & Upskilling Employees

Reskilling and upskilling employees is a long-standing HR trend. Investment in employee upskilling has become a standard practice for many years.

However, the pandemic has reinforced this trend. According to Bagga, the main thing that has changed here is the urgency of skills development.

This development has influenced the work processes and skills requirements.

During the coronavirus pandemic, we’re facing limited access to multi-talented professionals. Many employers realize the importance of retraining and upgrading existing employees’ skills.

Therefore, this trend is one of the company’s abilities to respond to unexpected disturbances.

These trends also emphasize the importance of reskilling and upskilling existing employees rather than hiring or replacing them.

 

 

Trend #3: Hybrid and Remote Working

Remote and hybrid working is still one of the HR trends in 2022. However, the trend is likely to continue once it’s over.

According to research from WeWork, “79% of the C-suite will permit their staff to split their time between corporate offices and remote working if their task allows for it.”

With a hybrid workplace, employers have the flexibility to manage their lives.

It also improves productivity, work-life balance and widens the talent pool by eliminating geographical boundaries. 

 

Read also

Work From Home Policy: The Essential Components

 

Trend #4: Structural and Management Change

The pandemic has changed many workplaces drastically. It begins from working virtually until hybrid working mode. It also emphasizes the acceleration of digitalization and many more.

This condition causes employees “change fatigue” after two years of constant pandemic-related change.

Some employees may show adversity in changing their working methods. They have endured hybrid work from home/in-person setups, changes in team structure, high turnover rates.

As a result, they may have difficulty adapting to new processes, work, or team composition.

Even if the change is likely to increase productivity or performance, it can cause stress, anxiety and overwhelm them.

According to a report by Gartner, 54% of HR leaders say their employees are suffering from change fatigue.

Two factors are driving change fatigue.

1. The first is the disturbance of employees’ duties and usual workflow when the change comes.
2. Exertion is related to the effort we expect employees to show during the transition. 

Therefore, employers must find ways to create a non-disruptive nor exertive change for employees’ experience.

According to Arj Bagga, director of HR advisory at Gartner, resilience is key to successful change management. 

Resilient employees can more easily cope with change, which is crucial from well-being and health perspective in the workplace.

 

Trend #5: Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment

In today’s era, Artificial intelligence (AI) is helping recruiters streamline their hiring processes. Aside from that, AI can enhance the candidate experience.

According to CareerBuilder, 72% of employers expect to automate elements of their talent acquisition efforts over the next decade. Therefore, HR departments must learn to use artificial intelligence (AI) to hire the best candidates.

In a study by PwC, 72% of business leaders said AI could enable workers to focus on meaningful work, while 34% of business leaders said AI could help free up time for more meaningful, valuable work.

Many workers are using AI in their daily tasks. Therefore, these trends will continue to grow in 2022 and beyond.

AI is already being used to filter resumes for the most compatible employees. AI will play a significant role in recruiting and employment as technology advances.

When this technology is fully implemented, workers have more opportunities to upskill and excel in new areas.

 

Read also

The Great Resignation 2021: It’s Not Too Late To Save Your Employees

 

Trend #6: Prioritizing Employee Wellness

During uncertain times and times of great transition, HR staff must focus on improving employee wellbeing.

Besides HR staff, employers shall also understand the importance of employee wellness and make 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 recent years.

Employee wellness and happiness will be one of the top HR trends in the coming year. Therefore, employers should provide workplace wellness programs to promote employee health.

Besides employers, employees should also involve in creating effective wellness programs. The program can start from the simple to the complex one.

Hence, business leaders and HR professionals must find ways to foster a flexible and healthy work environment that promotes employee health and mental wellbeing.

 

Trend #7: People Analytics

People analytics is a future HR trend. Moreover, HR analytics is more powerful than ever.

Today, the majority of organizations are using analytics to track measures like:

• Turnover rate
• Improving engagement
• Revenue per employee
• Absenteeism
• Managing HR costs, etc.

Using data for people analytics can help HR professionals gain deeper insights, make smarter decisions, drive better business results,  and improve workforce management.

HR professionals can create more efficient systems and increase client experiences and their bottom line.

Moreover, analytics helped in transforming HR practices. Analytics has enhanced recruiting strategies. It helps them to find qualified new candidates.

 

Read also

Improving Employee Engagement With These Best Strategies

 

As shown above, 2022 is almost here! Priorities are going to change! 

Two years ago, businesses had to adapt and transform to survive COVID-19. Now is the time for HR professionals to prepare for future HR trends.

These things are just a few of the HR trends for 2022. However, more trends will likely emerge, and the trend will change work habits as the industry evolves.

We encourage you to follow and understand the latest HR trends through this post. We hope this post helps you keep up with current HR trends.

By staying informed and aware, you can adapt to the best HR practices for your business strategies.

Last but not least, it will help your organization transform into a better workplace for the future.

 

Are you interested in keeping up to date with more recruitment trends? Or want help with any other aspect of human resources management?

With our 20+ years of experience, we provide advice and facilitate you to transform how the workplace operates, engage employees, improve performance, and draw up compensation and benefit plans.

Our team would be happy to set up a consultation to discuss all this further! Let us know!