Keeping Up With New Trends in HR Management

The MT Conferences section did not involve the reporting or the editorial staff of The Moscow Times.

Human resources is a rapidly growing field. As technology evolves and companies' ways of doing business improve over time, HR leaders are constantly looking to introduce new strategies for managing human capital. We're in the thick of an especially busy era now.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, technology is a key driver behind these new innovations, but it's far from the only factor.

Besides better technology and better personnel, what else is there? Here are more trends to watch.

Workplace Wellness

A broken healthcare system and soaring costs have inspired countless employee-benefits managers to find new solutions that add options without piling on costs. Many are opting for wellness programs, which add a layer to health insurance offerings as well as lowering costs, increasing productivity and demonstrating a responsible commitment to employees. The surge in popularity of wellness programs couldn't come at a better time. Wellness initiatives target things such as exercise, quitting smoking and weight management. Companies that offer employee incentives for addressing these health concerns may find themselves with healthier, happier employees and insurance savings that could potentially offset the program costs.

Training

Because professionals today are more career-savvy, they want more than just a fat paycheck and a generous set of benefits. They are also looking for opportunities to grow. HR managers are revamping their training facilities and programs and are increasing the standards for other companies. If a professional can get free training that he would otherwise have to pay for, he will give bonus points to the company and will definitely consider getting the job.

Mobility

Thanks to technology, more companies are saving thousands of dollars worth of overhead costs. By letting their employees work from remote locations, companies are able to hire the talent that they want without worrying about distance, the need for additional space, and other budget constraints.

Globalization

HR teams are taking on new challenges in the form of new offices offshore. As companies are increasing their strength by expanding to different countries, human resource departments are faced with the challenge of ensuring that all employees from all areas are getting what they deserve. These involve clear understanding of the local trends in employment, predominant culture in the countries, and other factors.

Business Will Start Hiring For Tomorrow

As economic recovery kicks in and the pace of change increases, forward-thinking companies are already realizing that hiring for today's skills means workforces could become quickly outdated. The focus is not just hiring for the job at hand, but preparing for what is needed next. This means taking stock of the company's current talent inventory, and increasing the emphasis on skills auditing to seek out 'hidden talent' within the organization. To build the kind of dynamic workforce that holds its value even when deluged by new challenges, organizations need to develop a competency framework. This is especially relevant in economies where the challenge of finding specialist skills is felt most acutely. Every business needs to ensure they have the human capital in place to drive growth.

HR Needs to Think Like a Marketer

A company's employer value proposition and related brand become more important than ever. An employer brand reflects a company's leadership style and work environment. All these things are connected, and how well they resonate will directly impact the company's ability to hire.

HR Outsourcing on the Rise

The downsizing of in-house transactional HR activities and the increase of HR outsourcing is not a new trend. However, the HR outsourcing is no longer reserved for big multinationals. Companies are placing a greater importance on business which allows regional HR leaders to focus on critical challenges including talent retention and leadership development.

Employee Involvement

For today's organization's to be successful there are a number of employee involvement concepts that appear to be accepted. These are delegation, participative management, work teams, goal setting, and empowering of employees. HR has a significant role to play in employee involvement. Employees need to be trained and that's where human resource has a significant role to play. Employees expected to delegate, to have decisions participative handled, to work in teams, or to set goals cannot do so unless they know and understand what it is that they are to do. Empowering employees requires extensive training in all aspects of the job. Workers may need to understand how new job design processes. They may need training in interpersonal skills to make participative and work teams function properly.

The MT Conferences section did not involve the reporting or the editorial staff of The Moscow Times.