FIVE WAYS THE FIELD OF HUMAN RESOURCES IS CHANGING

Updated December 6, 2022 · 2 Min Read

In this article, we will discuss five of the key ways the field of human resources has changed and will continue to change in the future.

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Ways Human Resources is Changing

  • Recruitment and Hiring
  • Employee Engagement
  • Training and Development
  • Performance Management and Evaluations
  • The Dynamics of HR Itself

The role of human resources (HR) has continually changed over the past century to reflect the ever-evolving workplace. Once referred to as the "personnel" department, businesses switched over to "human resources" to reflect the department's dedication to the inherent human element of managing employees to maintain and foster satisfaction and loyalty. To stay current and relevant, consider these five ways the field of human resources is changing.

Past changes to human resources most often involve external changes, such as the digitalization of the workplace over past several decades and increasing globalization, notes the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SOIP).

Human resources changes to reflect specific companies and their own internal situations, such as a loss in profits that leads to lay-off or an organizational restructuring.

As always, the field of human resources continues to adjust to the needs of the times and individual workplaces.

Following are five ways the field of human resources is changing:

1. Recruitment and Hiring

Business owners and HR leaders constantly try to find new ways to streamline the recruiting and hiring part of their business. Thanks to technology, this aspect of HR has become simpler over the past few decades. Creating a detailed website that often features a "Careers" section serves organizations well, allowing job candidates to learn about the company and the position. Additionally, most companies feature online applications that prospective employees can fill out at their leisure and submit, along with their resume, via the website. Other staffing resources that HR departments use include job boards and social media platforms.

2. Employee Engagement

In an effort to maintain employee loyalty, business leaders have increasingly come to understand that employee attitudes are not what they once were in previous generations. Millennials, and even some Generation X workers, do not have their parents' philosophy that you retire with the job you landed out of college. All of this makes it important for HR managers to find varied and creative means of engagement, suggests TechCo. Many HR teams focus matters like employee wellness and group fitness and staying open to employee feedback.

3. Training and Development

Employees are increasingly asked to take on more duties in their job, allowing companies to streamline the team for efficiency's sake. This approach gives employees the chance, as well as the need to continue their training and development to grow in their position and work toward promotions. Technology makes it much easier to train employees in various tasks, skills and general information.

4. Performance Management and Evaluations

Performance management is another arena where technology has become a game-changer for human resources. HR professionals are able to collect and store data on the employee's performance from their first day and forward. HR staff can regularly communicate with department managers to request updates to keep their files current. It makes it easier to help keep employees on track if they are lacking certain skills or have other issues that endanger their position. Alternatively, it allows HR managers to detect when an employee is ready to taken on new tasks or is eligible for a promotion. Some companies are letting go of the traditional annual review, for instance, in favor of frequent interactions to keep the conversation current, helping the employee change course-or learn how well they are doing-as quickly as possible.

5. The Dynamics of HR Itself

It is important that the HR department is adaptable in these rapidly changing times in the business world. There are several strategies that companies are adopting to keep things fresh for their HR team, as well as their employees.

Staying Open to Change Is the Key to Successful HR

The workplace is continuing to change, making it essential for human resources teams to stay flexible and open to new possibilities.

Related resource:

Top 15 Cheap Online Master's and MBA in Human Resources Management

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