One of the things that could become increasingly important to HRM is hybrid work. If I remember correctly, prior to the pandemic, hybrid/remote work was not the norm for many organizations. Many people still had to report onsite for their jobs. Depending on the specific job requirements and the employee’s needs, remote and hybrid work is extremely common today. It’s been over 2 years since the worldwide shutdown happened and my mom had just now returned onsite full time two weeks ago. Like her, remote or hybrid work can be very convenient for many people as it creates a health work-life balance and employees may feel more comfortable and motivated to work at their own pace. In aHarvard Business Review, they discuss how the employers who encourage a full return to onsite work, should understand that as long as the job is getting done, then there shouldn’t be a need for employees to return in the office. “Companies should help employees see that their value comes from the role they perform, not their physical location” (Revitalizing Culture in the World of Hybrid Work, 2022, p. 18). More than likely, distancing oneself from the office can be healthy and a win-win situation for the employee and the organization- the employee isn’t burnt out and the organization’s retention rate has improved.
A second thing that could become important for HRM is paid sick leave. Many organizations already have their own way of providing PTO/vacation for their employees. Unfortunately, some employers don’t separate sick days and PTO but force their employees to use their vacation days to recover from being sick. My husbands’ job has a great way of handling sick/vacation days. Supposedly, every calendar year, everyone is entitled to 5 paid sick days but anything after, will be counted as a PTO (unless they have a doctor’s excuse note). More employers should have policies similar to this so it can create some ease for those who can’t afford to miss work. Interestingly enough, many employees who already work at home, don’t necessarily see a reason to take days off and ‘relax’ at home if they’re already there for merely half the time of their job but instead, choose to save up their vacation or sick days, and use it as they deem necessary (Holtzman, 2021).
It’s unfortunate that a pandemic had to occur for employees’ well-being to become the new norm. “Health and wellness are hot topics. Employers are more aware than ever of the importance of employee well-being and its impact on business success” (Potami, 2023, para. 17). Now, people all over the world are becoming more open to compassionate to an individual’s overall health. Physical health had always been a concern for employers, however, many didn’t consider mental health as a priority. It may be better late than never, but it’s important for all organizations to prioritize their employee’s overall health rather the revenue.
References:
Holtzman, M. P. (2021). Vacation and sick pay accruals resulting from the pandemic.Journal of Accountancy,45-52.
Revitalizing Culture in the World of Hybrid Work. (2022).Harvard Business Review, 100(6), 17-21.
Potami, C. (2023, February 21). 10 Ways Human Resources Will Continue to Change.Business News Daily. Retrieved from
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/9383-future-of-hr.html
Human resource representatives handle a multitude of issues on a daily basis. As a human resource manager, it is important to prioritize these issues and handle them accordingly to the overall needs and goals of the company. One specific issue that will need to be addressed is the quality of the employees. Increasing talent management and development will be important to ensure the success of the company. Increasing development within employees will create highly qualified employees and continued achieved goals.
The focus on talent management will aid HRM with attracting and selecting the right candidates for their company. “Companies, and divisions within companies, have different strategies, philosophies, and goals, all of which influence how their employees are managed” (Israelite, 2010). Talent management strategies will be important as we previously stated in the earlier weeks of how recruiting and onboarding can turn away highly qualified candidates if the selection process is too lengthy and complex. The HRM will need to design a process that is concise and thorough but not as long and complex. This will imply to candidates that the company is organized and have strategic planning, which will attract this kind of candidates and employees.
“In XpertHR’s recently released survey, "Top HR Trends for 2020," HR professionals reported recruiting and hiring as their most critical challenge. Of those respondents, 51% said that their organization is facing an “extreme challenge” recruiting and hiring high-quality candidates, more than double the number (22%) from just two years ago” (Friedman, 2020). Recruitment processes are not as easy as they may have been a few years ago, especially with the increase of higher level employees. The ideal candidate for certain positions requires background knowledge and education, along with experience. It is harder to develop an individual who has never had any encounters with the material compared to someone who may have completed their studies in this field, completed an internship, or who has previous experience. “The concept of professional development leadership (PDL), which describes leadership aimed at establishing a common understanding of what constitutes professional quality. PDL is a theoretically underdeveloped concept, however, and what it entails is unclear. The lack of a clear conceptualization prevents rigorous empirical investigations of the role of PDL in public organizations” (Lund, 2022, pg. 517). This is where constant professional developments play a vital role in the continuation of an employee feeling competent in their job duties and roles.
References
Friedman, E. (2020). Council Post: Top Five Issues Facing Human Resources In 2020. Forbes. Retrieved fromhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2020/04/06/top-five-issues-facing-human-resources-in-2020/?sh=4729034448d5Links to an external site.
Israelite, L. (2010).Talent Management : Strategies for Success From Six Leading Companies. Association for Talent Development.
Lund, C. S. (2022). Professional Development Leadership in Public Organizations: A Refined Conceptualization. Public Personnel Management, 51(4), 516–537.
Links to an external site.