Decent Work Must Be Protected as Tech and AI Use Grows.

PRESS RELEASE

May 20 2024

Ethics around the adoption of new concepts among topics being discussed on International HR Day

(Monday, May 20, 2024) The organizers of International HR Day say people professionals must ensure that 'decent work and good jobs' are delivered as workplaces adopt more technology and artificial intelligence tools than ever. The European Association for People Management EAPM (EAPM) uses this day each year to celebrate how the HR and people profession, together with business, positively impact working lives and business performance.

Championing ethical technology and AI integration is among four critical topics identified for this year's occasion under the theme 'Shaping the New Future.' The EAPM says HR professionals need to embed principles of transparency and ethical use in these areas, provide appropriate policies, ensure digitalization boosts equality and inclusion, and enhance employee autonomy and control.

The other topics being highlighted this year are:

●????? Redefined future workplaces

Building a high-trust culture and embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion are the essence of good workplaces. Giving employees a voice, opening up flexible and hybrid work opportunities, addressing pay gaps, and promoting well-being and work-life balance are core to sustaining high performance and productivity and supporting individuals to thrive?

●????? Excellence in people leadership

HR professionals are reminded of their professional responsibility to deliver ethical, people-centric, and evidence-based decisions. They earn the trust of employees through empathy, authentic leadership, and open communication channels. They should aim to develop leaders and managers to build inclusive workplaces where everyone feels they can bring their authentic selves to work every day.

●????? Continuous investment in skills and education

As skills requirements change rapidly, building sustainable work means employees and those in the labor market have opportunities to grow their knowledge and skills, improve productivity, be more employable, and be better off. The EAPM highlights HR workers' role in engaging with organizations as they invest in upskilling employees and improving access to work and learning in the broader marketplace, especially marginalized groups and those whose jobs are at risk.

Berna Oztinaz became the first female President of the EAPM in 2024 and is also CHRO of Genel Energy Plc. Based in Türkiye. She says it's essential that HR professionals adapt to the changing technological environments in the workplace:

"One of our core HR skills is change management, which has never been more relevant than over the past four years. Having transformed drastically to cope with enforced remote working, our next challenge is to find where AI and technology fit into the work we'll be doing in the future. Our colleagues will look to us for guidance, and we should be ready to help lead them on this journey".

David Ducheyne is the President of HRpro.be and vice president for the EAPM. He's highlighting the prominent role of ethics in this year's topics: "The growing emphasis on transparency in organizations means that more than ever, decisions that are made need to have a sound ethical basis. The European CSRD regulation allows HR professionals and organizations to show their performance on ecological, social, and governance issues. International HR Day is an opportunity for HR professionals to celebrate, but also to check they're up to date on the latest guidance around ethics in the workplace, to ensure they can continue to make a valuable contribution in the ever-evolving workplace culture".

Full details of the event are at www.eapm.org.

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ABOUT EAPM

The European Association for People Management (EAPM) is a network association and the European body for human resource management. It forms a European umbrella body of national HR organizations and facilitates experience exchange without profit-related objectives. It is purely professional and specialist in nature.

(see https://www.eapm.org/ihrd/ for more info).?

Please contact Hrpro, a member of EAPM, the national, independent, and non-profit HR association in Belgium.?

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