HR Priorities Reboot

In our last blog, we discussed several emerging HR trends for this year. At the beginning of each year, most companies start strong by keeping these trends in mind and applying them wherever they find necessary. But as the year progresses, more pressing issues pop up and priorities tend to shift. This is where some companies, if they’re not careful, lose focus on what’s important.

Despite your best efforts, especially when there are competing business needs, it’s easy to lose sight of your people priorities. For the most part, this focus has not changed in recent years. You’re more likely to reach your yearend goals and help your employees to do the same if you have “the right people in the right place at the right time.” It doesn’t hurt if these individuals are engaged, productive and motivated. Below are three common people priorities not to lose sight of in 2023 and beyond.

Hiring Qualified Talent

This may serve to be a little more of a challenge these days, considering how many companies are looking for new hires. The year 2021 was the year of The Great Resignation, where we saw a record number of Americans getting laid off or quitting their jobs due to the effects of coronavirus. This continued well into 2022 and continues to be an area of concern. The number of job openings keep rising, with 11 million job openings reported in December of last year (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Unemployment percentages either declined or remained essentially the same for the last several months. It is still a candidate’s job market. However, there are ways to overcome these hurdles. Get creative on the recruiting front by offering flexible working hours or promoting job sharing arrangements. In turn, your company will likely attract a new pool of candidates while making your job postings stand out.

Employee Development and Training

While employees are motivated by different things, most will probably have these work setting energizers in common – a supportive boss, cooperative and friendly coworkers, a positive work environment, and generous employee benefits. But your employees also are thinking about their future and what’s next in their career trajectory. Are they advancing in their current position or are they sitting idle without a clear career path? Are they contributing to the company? What are they learning, if anything at all? Are they taking advantage of their skills and utilizing them well? All of these questions are likely running through the minds of your employees. Taking the time to properly train and develop your employees is important for their long-term growth in your company. This will not only help with productivity but will allow them to feel more competent and confident in their current or future role.

Retention

Retention ties directly into our second point. What motivates employees is also where they find the most satisfaction. Inclusive, supportive, cooperative working environments are becoming even more important to employees in today’s work environment. Finding new hires that are right for the job is important for most companies, but don’t forget about your existing employees. Even if they’ve transitioned to working virtually, there are plenty of ways you can keep your work relationships strong. Having “stay interviews” is a popular way to crack down on what makes each individual happy at work, while letting them know how valued they are. Digging deep into what will satisfy your team long term and helping them meet their goals is a great way to foster teamwork and cultivate loyalty within your company.

If your HR priorities are in need of a “reboot” and you need some guidance on managing your work priorities and helping your employees to do the same, contact Cisso Bean & Dutch today! Our team is happy to help answer any questions you may have.