As any HR professional can attest, the world of human resources seems to be constantly shifting. From new labor laws to changing public or employee sentiment to emerging technologies, there’s always something different on the horizon. HR leaders must stay ahead of the curve when it comes to knowing what’s next, as this enables them to attract and retain top talent to meet strategic goals.

Are you wondering what’s next in the HR world? If so, find out what the experts see on the horizon and how you can get ahead of the competition and continue to drive business outcomes in today’s competitive landscape.

Navigating Artificial Intelligence

There is little doubt that AI is creating disruption in the workplace. HR leaders are hard at work trying to figure out how it creates greater levels of efficiency while also understanding how that increased efficiency will impact the workforce. 

As an HR professional, you need to consider your current organizational structure and how it may need to change in response to your use of AI tools. 

You should be able to answer questions about how AI implementation will affect employee career pathing and professional trajectories — this can impact your ability to attract and retain top talent. You may also need to respond to the ways in which AI may eliminate roles and consider whether upskilling employees is a viable way to help you meet the demands of the moment. 

Finally, it’s important to address the ways that AI may impact more than just business efficiency. For example, some employees believe that AI bots can eliminate bias and provide more effective feedback than their human managers when it comes to performance evaluations.

Focusing on Inclusion and Belonging

Undoubtedly, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging have become hot-button topics in the current business and political landscape. As there is ever-increasing scrutiny in both the private and public sectors regarding DEIB policies, employers must learn strategies for ensuring legal compliance while navigating shifting public employee sentiment. 

Getting this right is especially important for today’s generation — 65% of Gen Z employees say that they would avoid even applying to a job where the values of the company do not align with their own. While diversity has proven to be beneficial for innovation and business outcomes, HR teams must be able to tackle this topic with an eye toward sensitivity and compliance.

Preserving Knowledge and Expertise

Many HR leaders are becoming increasingly concerned about navigating the work environment as baby boomers retire. You need to know how to compete for talent amid ongoing shortages, but you may also be wondering how to preserve knowledge and expertise for the next generation of workers. 

To prepare for what’s ahead, you may consider building mentorship programs that pair older employees with newer, more entry-level talent. In the short term, this can help your more advanced employees learn new technologies or benefit from fresh, innovative ideas. Over time, it will give older employees an opportunity to transfer their knowledge down the pipeline so it isn’t lost once they retire.

Fostering Connection and Camaraderie

In a world where the younger generation is often glued to their phones, some are noticing what seems like the beginning of a loneliness epidemic. Younger employees may have a harder time making connections in the real world, especially as remote and hybrid work proliferate.

It’s important that HR leaders create opportunities to foster camaraderie at work. Team-building activities, such as off-site retreats and team lunches, can go a long way toward helping employees build relationships that can ensure effective communication and collaboration.

Knowing the Trends Is Just the Start

It’s crucial for HR professionals to identify workplace trends, but this knowledge means little without understanding how to implement them. You need to know which trends are right for your company, and you also need a concrete strategy for navigating them in a way that works for your culture, employees, and goals.If you’re looking to use current HR trends to help your company meet strategic objectives, AssetHR can help. Contact us today to learn more about how our consulting and technology solutions can benefit your company.