HR Trends For 2022

In 2021 companies and HR teams have faced unique and unpredictable challenges including The Great Resignation, shifting to remote and hybrid working models, new compliance and regulatory issues, increased burnout and mental health issues and figuring out how to attract and retain talent in an ever-changing world.

The only thing we can take for granded is that change is continuous, not episodic. HR needs to be able to anticipate and prepare for new challenges to stay one step ahead and that’s why we need a clear understanding of what awaits the world of work in 2022.

There are so many researches, articles and predictions aiming to offer HR teams a better understanding of emerging HR trends and insight into what their peers are focusing on in the year ahead to help drive strategy for the HR function. In the picture bellow you’ll see a selection of the most popular trends from organizations and thinkers around the world.

There are some themes that caught my eye across the board and i was interested to see in more depth.

?Hybrid work

As the market is moving on its recovery path and offices are opening, the organisations are coming up with their own unique hybrid work models having both sets of employees working from home and office.

Most companies will have to keep some level of remote work as an option because of the various Covid-19 variants that are appearing. Accenture’s survey finds that 83% of workers prefer a?hybrid work model and that 63% of high-growth companies have already adopted a “productivity anywhere” workforce model. Demanding employees return to the office will only further exacerbate turnover rates. ?

HR leaders should pay special attention to the unique needs of working parents and consider creating special work practices to address their needs such as; subsidized childcare, and expanded parental leave for new mothers and fathers. McKinsey research finds working parents are more likely to have left their jobs during the past 2 years than their non-parent counterparts. Reasons include exhaustion from the pressures of working from home and juggling childcare responsibilities, struggles with returning to the office but not finding consistent childcare, and reevaluating their overall work-life balance.

Employers also need to communicate how their approach to management is evolving as work from anywhere expands. This means clearly defining how they will create a fair and equitable workplace for all employees regardless of location, communicate how leaders will manage employees they never physically see, and how teams will achieve work flexibility while meeting their goals.

Reskilling and Upskilling

Two big changes in corporate organisations are needed – reskilling and upskilling. Reskilling – in which the staff is provided with adequate training to develop capabilities to take entirely different and new roles, upskilling – in which the staff gains new skills to augment their current role in the organisation. Learning has taken center stage and is essential to help organizations develop the skills necessary to thrive and innovate in the new world of work. According to?LinkedIn 2021 Learning Report?the top ten power skills include.?

Skills based hiring expands the prospective talent pool but also allows internal employees opportunities greater visibility into their career mobility by providing them with educational pathways for specific industries and job functions.?

More companies are piloting skills-based hiring, or the practice of setting specific skills and competency requirements for a job rather than only looking at a candidate’s credentials.?In fact, Glassdoor reports that 15 companies are offering well-paying jobs to those possessing in-demand skills, but lacking a degree.

Well-being

How companies manage employee well-being in the coming years will significantly impact their talent acquisition, retention, and productivity. Employee well-being has expanded beyond physical well-being to include emotional, financial, social, and career wellness. Research conducted by Paychex and Future Workplace among 603 full-time workers found that financial, mental Health and emotional well-being are the highest priorities for employees.

In the same research 62% of employees identified well-being benefits as key a key factor in deciding whether to apply for a new job. This was especially true for Gen Z, where 67% strongly agreed or agreed that well-being benefits will be a priority for them in evaluating new job offers.?

Diversity, equity and inclusion

Hiring for diversity means hiring a wide range of employees who are different from one another. Whether this means they are of different races, different ages, or come from different walks of life.

While diversity had been on the minds of HR leaders for some time already, DEI strategies have risen in terms of priority. In 2022, we can expect DEI to remain at the forefront of recruiting and retention strategies. HR professionals should plan to invest more in diversity and inclusion to spur innovation and growth, to help organizations penetrate a wider talent marketplace and build a global brand.

Findings from TrustRadius’s recent 2022 HR Trends Report?show that while a majority (60%) describe their company as diverse, perceptions of equity (44%) and inclusiveness (43%) fall below the halfway mark. 6% of respondents say they don’t believe that their organizations meet any of these descriptions.

Moreover, a Gartner survey of nearly 3,000 managers revealed that 64% of managers and executives believe in-office employees are higher performers than remote employees, and 76% believe in-office workers are more likely to be promoted. Gartner analysis has identified that employees who work remotely or on a hybrid schedule perform at equal levels compared to employees who work in the office. Without greater intentionality, underrepresented talent could be excluded from critical conversations, career opportunities and other networks that drive career growth.

Many HR experts focused on the generational differences that influence the success of organizations. For the first time in history, four generations (Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Gen Z) are in the workforce at the same time. The differences among the generations pop up daily. DEI efforts should include age variations, too.

It’s a very exciting time to be part of the field, as HR’s influence and strategic importance continues to increase rapidly. With different portions of the workforce beginning to walk different paths, businesses will need to develop policies that accommodate varying preferences, but remain fair and consistent. Data driven HR people analytics, change management are also some of the major topics of 2022 in Greece.