The phenomenal strides that ‘Human Resources’ has made over the past three years, with respect to extensive
Digitalization, planning, execution, or communication appear to have become even more concrete as we step into 2023. HR departments have moved from traditional operations to talent- focused and hybrid operations. Adopt these new workplace prac trends this year
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Re-examining the HR priorities in 2023, which have contributed incredibly to building and solidifying organizational strategies, HR’s effectiveness, both internal and external, may have steadily improved over the years, but there are some pertinent challenges across the function that still need to be addressed. While HR has been putting its best foot forward to elevate experiences and organizational processes, it must not overlook its own development and well-being in the process of becoming a strategic partner. In this article, we will look into how HR professionals will
re-examine their role in 2023 as they continue to play a critical role in helping organizations find their footing in this reimagined world of operations.
- A scope for expanding HR’s strategic skill set
According to McLean & Company’s HR trends report 2023, highly effective HR departments over the past two years have demonstrated high proficiency in relationship building, resilience, and emotional intelligence. Now while HR’s proficiency in managing relationships has been critical to its success, there is still an evident proficiency gap that needs to be addressed which highlights the opportunity to leverage skills like digital and data literacy, branding and marketing, and design thinking. Technical skills on the other hand will also help HR move towards a more strategic role in an organization, thereby adding more to functions like DE&I, change management, and overall organizational performance.
- HR’s level of stress and burnout continues to be a challenge
According to the same research, more than a third of HR professionals reported experiencing higher levels of job-related stress compared to one year ago (34%) while 39% of HR respondents reported experiencing burnout. Now, burnout and effectiveness are connected which implies that as HR’s strategic role continues to expand, it also needs to be aligned with their overall purpose at work. They need to feel the connection with their work and that comes with engaging in opportunities for personal growth, building meaningful connections, and engaging in intellectually stimulating tasks. Improving HR burnout therefore will be a key factor to build on.
- Ability to lead in a boundaryless world
Episode 1: Deco new rules of HE transformation with Peck Kem L Anirban Das
Do our HR leaders have the right capabilities and strategies to navigate a disrupted world? Connectivity and collaboration allow organizations to become responsive and agile to change which makes the boundaryless function extremely imperative to the current order of work. Therefore, as old boundaries continue to shift and disappear,
- The HR digital transformation journey
Digital transformation enables HR to be more strategic. The research also states that HR departments who have undergone digital transformation are 1.7x more likely to report that they are high performing at facilitating data-driven people decisions and 1.2x more likely to report that their HR departments are highly effective. Now while a good number of employees agree that their HR departments need to digitalize to become more strategic, we can still see a lack of a formal strategy and potential skill gaps. In the Deloitte 2023 Global Human Capital Trends Survey, only 16% say their leaders are ready to use technology to improve work outcomes and team performance and only 18% said their leaders are ready to develop the right workplace model. While the reasons for the lack of digital maturity across the HR function might vary, there is a heightened need to build a strong strategic foundation for HR tech development.
- HR’s proficiency in developing first-time leaders into people leaders
Research has proven that effective HR departments that are known for building talent recognize the importance of developing first-time leaders. In fact, HR’s effectiveness at building talent is reflected in the proficiency of FTLs in key competencies. Since human resources are known for developing more universally applicable competencies such as managing people as compared to technical skills, they must continue to be a catalyst for people leaders in 2023. For this, HR needs to lay out a clear L&D strategy that will help first-time leaders to transition into people leadership roles. However, McLean’s HR trends report revealed only a quarter of respondents (29%) reported having a formal, documented L&D strategy which implies that HR still has a long way to go in prioritizing the development of their leaders and helping them with the key leadership capabilities which will be amongst their key priorities in 2023-
