No matter the industry and business, we are facing a constant barrage of HR issues and challenges. While very few of these challenges are new, the challenge comes from how they are all heavily influenced by the changes of what we now regard as the ‘workplace’. Here we offer some Tips to 8 HR management challenges in the new workplace.
Engaging the workforce
With “burn-out” and “quiet quitting” on the rise, it is now more than ever important to have a strong workforce engagement plan. Everything in Human Resource management is intertwined, so addressing the following challenges will also bolster workforce engagement.
Some additional strategies are;
- Assess workforce engagement – use surveys, townhall meetings, performance assessments, exit interviews to get a picture of how and why (and why-not) the workforce is engaged.
- Ensure employees know their value to the business and how they contribute.
- Recognise and reward consistently.
- Communicate often about the business and encourage open dialogue with the workforce.
Attracting Talent
While it may be necessary to reduce staff due to changes in business, it is still essential to be attracting the best talent you can find to your business. Top talent, and in some industries, all talent is in high demand.
While a competitive compensation and benefits offering is always required, employees in the ‘new workplace’ are looking for more. In addition to having an suitable work / life balance, talent now wants their efforts to contribute and have a value. Corporate values are increasingly important, whether it is diversity, inclusivity, environmental credentials or corporate social responsibility, talent is considering these factors before they jump.
To continue to be an attractive place to work;
- Review and revitalise (if necessary) your employer branding and value proposition.
- Ensure you are practicing what you preach with regards to values – it is easy to assess if a company is ‘all talk and no action.’
- Build out a solid attraction network – including customers, suppliers, ex and current employees.
- Actively promote your business as a great place to work, using as many channels as possible.
Managing Relationships
The current workplace includes a hodgepodge of flexible, remote, hybrid and on-site workers all trying to have a schedule that works for them, their teams and the business. As it look like this is the new normal, it is increasingly important for businesses to be able to incorporate new employees into teams, allow them to build rapport and trust, form positive working relationships and perform as an effective team. Where this used to happen in the office, now it needs to occur via a mix of online, remote and in person interactions.
It makes sense to say that working from home is a great opportunity to complete individual tasks, and when you are in the office, it is an opportunity to build relationships and collaborate. However it is important that the necessary collaboration tools are available even when working from home.
To help foster good working relationships;
- Work with managers to ensure they utilise their team’s in-office time for collaborative and team enhancing activities.
- Establish company or office wide activities that allow different teams opportunities to get to know each other.
- Promote inter-team / department / office projects and secondments to foster business wide interactions.
- Ensure all team members have access to and training on the various collaboration tools.
Training and Development
A lack of development opportunities is often cited as the major reason for individuals to leave a business or company. Businesses that aim to be successful over the long term, should have a focus on developing the capabilities and capacities of their teams. While markets, businesses and talent availability fluctuates, organisations need to put effort into re-skilling or up-skilling the existing workforce.
Utilising a sound performance assessment process, assess the existing team’s capacity, consider the competence needs of the business going forward and define training requirements.
Things to consider when planning training and development;
- Training focused on meeting current needs – not nice to haves.
- A good mix technical and transferable skills training.
- On the job training and post training coaching.
- Gain commitment from trainees and management regarding training and follow-up.
- Utilise special projects and secondments to develop capacity.
Retention
The noise around the great resignation / great re-shuffle, has died down a bit, but retention is a still a major concern for businesses as they establish strategies to handle the crazy economic conditions.
Things to help with crafting a retention policy;
- Determine why employees are leaving – exit interviews, surveys.
- Set and live by business values and mission, it should align with team expectations.
- Compensate adequately and recognise and reward frequently.
- Provide development and growth opportunities.
Diversity
Diversity and Inclusivity is being recognised as a great way to enhance business performance. Benefits are seen in increased employee engagement, creativity, performance, collaboration, client / consumer insight, talent pool to name a few. It does however depend on the business strategy and management commitment.
Factors to consider when working on diversity;
- Diversity strategy needs to have a results focus not just tokenism – ie. expand talent pool, increase creativity, market access, client insight etc.
- Gain commitment and resources from management and take a long term position.
- Establish measureable goals and monitor effectiveness.
Inevitable Change
There is no doubt that that only constant going forward will be continual change. Building into an organisation the capacity to be flexible and respond to change is a massive management challenge. With many employees new and old having expectations of flexible working options, organisations have to adjust accordingly.
Things to consider when taking into account our changing market;
- Workshop possible contingencies going forward.
- Define your organisations skill matrix and build in capacity flexibility with cross training and upskilling.
- Ensure IT and digital tools support a changing environment.
- Establish talent pooling plans.
Employee Health and Wellbeing
Workforce health and wellbeing is by far the hottest issue for the last few years. It has become clear for all businesses that a wholistic approach to health and wellbeing not only sounds good, but has a positive impact on the business, with reduced absenteeism, increased productivity and reduced workplace incidents.
Mental wellbeing is gaining more attention as its impact on business receives more recognition, however physical health and wellbeing should not be ignored.
Things to consider when looking at employee wellness;
- Genuine concern and attention will be appreciated.
- Meeting WHS requirements, both physical and psychosocial obligations is critical.
- Assess the wellbeing requirements of your workforce, identify those services or offering that employees use and value – see if they can be expanded.
- Mental wellbeing should be more than offering an EAP services.
- Changes to daily work might be all that is needed – such as flexible working arrangements or an additional day off.
The business environment is more and more volatile which does put increasing pressure on the workforce and consequently offers up more challenges for the human resource management function.
E.L Blue’s outsourced human resource management function provides a wholistic approach to human resource management that provides solutions to all of HR’s challenges.