There is no question about the fact that our world is changing and, with it, the future of work. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people in the U.S. and abroad live, work and spend their free time. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has added new pressures on companies and their employees as businesses in Russia and Ukraine ground to a halt, while a new wave of refugees flooded Europe. New technologies were already disrupting work across the world, and the pandemic went on to accelerate existing trends. Because of all these factors, many companies are now reconsidering their strategies, adopting new technologies and adapting to future trends.
The rise of new technology is just one of the elements impacting the HR industry. There has also been shifts toward more inclusive workplaces, closing the gender gap, and boosting empathy in the workplace. However, with so many new trends disrupting the industry, HR managers may have a hard time choosing the strategies that could benefit their companies the most. Let’s explore the five HR practices that could reshape the future of work, and how to use these strategies to create positive work environments.
Remote and Hybrid Work
According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, approximately six-in-ten U.S. employees who think that their jobs can be done remotely for the most part (59%) are now working from home all or most of the time. Moreover, 83% of these workers also point out that they were already working remotely before the Omicron variant caused a new surge of COVID-19 cases in the United States. Remote and hybrid work are undoubtedly here to stay, considering the fact that many employees now say they are working from home by choice.
Artificial Intelligence and Automation
New technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, have already proved useful in recruitment, employee engagement, career growth, and more. However, both HR professionals and workers are now worried that some jobs may be lost as AI and automation take over many of the tasks previously done by humans alone. While recent studies show that AI adoption is indeed connected to significant workforce restructuring, AI can also help the HR industry achieve new levels of efficiency at scale. Adoption of ethical and transparent AI technologies that can support empathy in the workplace may soon prove vital for the future of any company.
Empathy in the Workplace
According to a study, 92% of workers say they would feel encouraged to keep their current jobs if employers showed and prioritized empathy. Because 66% of U.S. workers say they feel stressed, and many others report feeling burned out, overwhelmed, or angry, it comes as no surprise that mental health is now a priority for many companies. Unhealthy workplaces should and probably will become a thing of the past, as HR professionals in the U.S. and abroad realize that employee turnover is inevitable if issues like stress, anxiety, and heavy workloads are not addressed in time.
Closing the Gender Gap
The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified gender inequalities, and according to the Guardian, women have been forced to face more negative social and economic problems connected to the global healthcare crisis than men. Closing the gender gap is now more important than ever, and so is achieving real pay equality once and for all. This means that American companies may need to go beyond comparable compensation and provide their female employees with other solutions, such as pay audits, gender- and race-blind hiring and development, as well as network-building opportunities.
Building an Inclusive Workplace
HR professionals already know that diversity and inclusion have become important priorities for numerous companies around the world. However, building inclusive workplaces is by no means an easy task, as HR professionals must adapt their strategies to include multiple diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This means making an effort to ensure that a company’s workforce is representative of the community it operates in, but also that the workers in question are treated fairly and welcomed as they are. Moreover, DEI initiatives should also include equal opportunities—giving all workers the chance to grow and evolve as part of the company.
Why It Matters
According to the McKinsey “Diversity wins” report, the most diverse organizations are more likely than ever to outperform less diverse ones. While this study proves that building inclusive workplaces and closing the gender gap is beneficial for employees and employers alike, other research points to the importance of enabling remote and hybrid work, adopting AI and other new technologies, as well as prioritizing empathy in the workplace. These five useful HR practices can now help HR professionals create healthy workplaces, where employees and managers collaborate to continually improve the company and reshape its future.
