As the stakes are raised in relation to the economy, organisations are constantly looking for payback of time invested by human resources, not only using the term in its broadest sense to mean employees, but also using it to apply to their HR function.
One of the reasons Integrated Resources was set up was to ‘hit the spot’ that was required, and not waste time providing services that are not needed. In some ways, being a HR consultant is easier than being in-house, but in other ways more difficult as we are constantly aiming to ensure that we are removing headaches and helping organisations to grow and prosper.
The strains and stresses within workforces are even greater than ever. The economic challenges are enormous, with consequent effect on mental health. Though it is true that people are our most valuable asset, and many organisations say this, some are at a loss for utilising time and fees in the most effective way to achieve change and growth. Although the backcloth can be an exciting challenge, we cannot do everything, and it seems to us that there are a number of activities that will become priorities for the coming year. These are as follows:
• Swift response for transformation.
• The effective application of AI and shared services.
• Defining and utilising competencies for each individual, which will contribute to the growth of the organisation as well as looking after each person in it.
• Impact on brand and the character of an organisation.
The way functions will develop their HR strategy are against a backcloth of hybrid and remote working. We need to consider the new legislation and its robust application, as well as the use of technology, adhering to Data Protection legislations and, indeed, the security of our systems – what we call ‘cyber security’, as well as focused workforce planning.
The ‘psychological contract’, not just the employment contract, becomes paramount, and we need to ensure that each generation (and this is a university generation) is skilled in the right areas and that the organisational response is not simply reactive and left until the last minute. Ensuring that people are working most productively and at the upper end of their happiness level requires care and needs to be included in an HR strategy that is pre-emptive rather than reactive so that money is spent on the right areas of up-skilling.
If you would like to discuss a pre-emptive, creative, commercially-focused HR strategy, whatever your size, then please do get in touch.
