We are slowly seeing a transformation in the workplace focused on mirroring the customer experience to employees. The Future Workplace and Beyond.com study entitled “The Active Job Seeker Dilemma” found that 83% of HR leaders said “employee experience” is either important or very important to their organization’s success, and they are investing more in training (56%), improving their workspaces (51%), and giving more rewards (47%).
The talent pool is quickly becoming more competitive and companies are having to do more to attract and retain top talent. HR managers are needing to expand beyond their roles to adopt an “employee-first” mindset which means thinking about the entire workplace experience from benefits, workspaces, wellness, to internal development.
Culture For the Sake of…
But there can be a consequence of creating a workplace focused heavily on the image of their culture (ping pong tables, free beer Fridays, “work anywhere we don’t care” policy). While this approach can attract a more millennial workforce, these types of perks are fleeting because they don’t address what an employee really wants from an employer; career mobility, long-term respect, and team development.
Evaluating Team Performance
While HR departments have traditionally focused on individual employees—recruiting them, developing them and assessing their performance—but there’s an evolving practice of understanding what makes great teams deliver exceptional results. Team intelligence versus individual intelligence is helping companies create a more thriving culture that allows teams to become more innovative and inclusive. The shift to a team mindset has found to increase employees’ overall morale and keep them from leaving the company.
The New HR Role
In 2017, a growing number of HR roles will become more specialized and technical. HR professionals will need to partner with sales and marketing, IT, communications, and other departments to flesh out their perspective about the company. It will almost become a requirement for HR personnel to ideate on these changes within the workplace and strategize on how to grow the workforce externally and internally.
This year will certainly be an exciting but challenging time for the HR industry. Just like with technology companies, HR departments and companies will need to remain agile and open to new ideas based on what they hear from employees. More importantly, keep the lines of communication open with your staff and treat them as you would your own customers.
If your company is struggling with human resources issues or need an expert in the HR industry to evaluate your current HR processes, please take a look at how we work with companies through strategic relationships.