Over the previous few months we have been focusing on the here and now, looking at the top 10 HR trends in 2022. We thought we would take a break from that and look more into the future in what is likely to be impacting the world of work in 2025 & 2030.
Crystal ball gazing, tarot reading, and palmistry are all useful to help us to un-fog the future in our personal lives; but not particularly helpful to predict HR trends or the future of work. No one saw the pandemic happening; nor the continued impact that it would have for HR professionals.
What we do know is that the world of work has changed. Companies are ripping up the rule book and experience is becoming much more personalized, and this is likely to continue. So, what are some of the things that we are likely to be having to consider in the coming years? Well, we have done some research and have compiled together a list of HR trends likely to continue to help you
Let’s start by looking at HR trends in 2025
SHRM say that there are likely to be five major HR trends that we have seen emerging in the last couple of years that will remain until at least 2025:
1. More employees will work from home
Whilst things are beginning to return to “normal” this does not include working in a physical office on a 9-5, 5 (or 7) days a week. People want the chance to be able to choose how, when and where they work to be at their most productive.
Office space will still be needed but it is likely to need to be reconfigured to enable greater collaboration & agile working when people are in the office i.e., desks that can easily be moved, adjustable privacy panels or pods. Gen Z people as we mentioned in a previous blog of all the generations prefer face to face communication and connection especially when joining an organization, so consideration should be given to the onboarding process to enable a sense of belonging from the get-go.
2. Companies will invest heavily in health, hygiene, and safety.
COVID 19 created a spotlight on H & S issues in the workplace and without the need to adjust for social distancing, providing PPE, sanitizing surfaces and in some cases, temperature checks – it also means the testing of ventilation systems, door handles that provide protection from the spreading of germs and increased cleaning with deep cleaning more regularly scheduled is likely to be needed. Organizations that do not have a team looking at health & safety within the next couple of years are likely to need one going forward.
H & S goes beyond physical safety. With the pandemic we saw an increase in the need to have wellbeing programmes in place. We are seeing more people with increased anxiety, depression, stress, and burnout than ever before. During the pandemic lots of companies promoted the use of employee assistance programmes, provided access to various digital tools to help people to self-care. Over the next few years, the need for this is likely to continue and a good wellbeing strategy should be a part of your employee value proposition.
3. Companies will continue to strive to increase diversity, equality, and inclusion.
Linking with the point above and our previous blog on belonging we have seen a shift away from just thinking about DEI and more about a belonging culture in the organisation that people want to sign up to. Organisations will need to continue to build on this to ensure that they have an inclusive workplace.
4. Organisations will re-examine how they impact the environment.
From demonstrating the reduction of paper usage by having a “think before you print” culture to utilizing people working from home to reduce carbon footprint. Organisations are likely to need to demonstrate their social responsibility more in the future. How they respond (and how quickly) to a disaster or crisis will add to people wanting to work (and stay) working for an organisation. As well as having a chief sustainability officer in place to ensure as a company that you are doing all you can do to tackle climate change i.e., substituting plastic for reusable glasses in the kitchens, compostable kitchen caddies for food waste, encouraging people to switch off lifts and use the stairs instead of lifts.
5. Tech transformation will continue.
People in the pandemic had to adapt to using more digital & automated solutions and this will continue. In a previous blog, we looked at HR systems and augmented and virtual reality; this will continue to increase overtime. Re-skilling of the workforce will be needed to help maintain that competitive advantage.
But what about if we look further forward – HR trends in 2030?
In 2021 Sage wrote an article about HR in 2030; here are 5 trends which we are likely to need to know about in 2030:
1. It is no surprise that personalised employee experiences are at the top of the list.
Our research at People Lab shows that people want more, and their expectations have shifted from being about pay to being about purpose, from annual review to regular coaching amongst other things. Individuals want to be valued and to add value in return. This goes beyond treating people like human resources but as individuals. Included in this is wellbeing and productivity which have always been closely aligned with experience and engagement. EX in the future will need to continue to focus on this and ensure that it matches the values of the organisation along with the mission and purpose.
2. HR in 2030 will lead the way on organisational flexibility.
Organisations found ways to be agile overnight during the pandemic and this new way of working will continue. HR will be key for setting up organisations to continue with the agility and flexibility to adapt as the world continues to change. HR will need to be innovative and think outside the box; moving away from being a function that conducts processes (most of which by 2030 are likely to be automated) and instead will need to spend time with the business and vice versa to create a truly flexible environment
3. Data is key
In our people analytics blog we looked at the power of data and why having a people analytics function is important, so it is not a surprise to still see this on the list. By 2030 HR should be in a position to use data to have discussions and be seen as a core part of the business not a stand-alone function.
4. And of course there’s automation.
It is not about cutting jobs but instead liberating an organisation from admin burden to free up time for more complex and value-added tasks. By 2030 organisations that will thrive and will have mastered HR tech to enable them to be the thought leaders of the future
5. DI&W or DEI is a key focus now in 2022, and will remain the same in 2030.
People want to work for an organisation that demonstrates a strong commitment to DEI as well as social responsibility and sustainability as mentioned earlier. But the Gen Z people who are the workforce of the now and future, will know when leaders are authentic or making empty promises. HR need to ensure that they are making data driven decisions and align comms to ensure that the messages being delivered are aligned to the company’s vision, values & purpose.
So, all in all, there are no real surprises here, and many things you will already have in your line of sight, or if not are already on track. If you would like to chat through anything relating to employee engagement, employee experience or HR trends in the future world of work, then do please get in touch.
@Karen
