What will my workday look like in the year ahead? What professional changes do I need to make? What should my team prioritize? What new technologies should we be learning? How can we improve our work culture?
These are questions we're all likely asking as 2023 gets underway. And thanks to the many Human Resource (HR) and Human Capital Management (HCM) conversations taking place around us, we've gathered some helpful insights.
If you are an HR, HRIS, or HRIT manager, you may want to lean in to what Gartner has to say about the year ahead. In a survey of more than 800 HR leaders, Gartner identified the top five priorities for HR in 2023. They include:
1. Leader and manager effectiveness. Workplace shifts require leaders to be more “human," which is a priority for 60% of HR leaders. About 24% of those surveyed say their leadership development approach does not prepare leaders for the future of work.
2. Organizational design and change management. Helping leaders and teams deal with digital transformation and ongoing workplace disruptions makes these two skills a top priority for 53% of HR leaders while 45% say their employees are fatigued from all the change.
3. Employee experience. Developing distinct career pathways for existing employees is a top priority for 47% of HR leaders, while 44% believe their organizations lack clear career paths.
4. Recruiting. The competition for talent and reprioritizing recruiting strategies will be top of mind for 46% of HR leaders, while 36% say their sourcing strategies are insufficient for finding the needed skills.
5. Future of work. This term refers to the remote and hybrid workforce, which is a top priority for 42% of HR leaders, while 43% say they need an explicit future of work strategy.
Digging in a little deeper into trends in Human Capital Management and Human Resources, businesses are getting creative when it comes to improving employee engagement. According to HR Exchange Network, HR leaders will likely shift focus in 2023. Trends include:
Using gamification to engage employees in learning new skills.
Communicating better about existing company benefits.
Using the Metaverse to collaborate in new ways.
Giving more attention to mental health (stress and burnout).
Strengthening retention efforts.
Offering remote work.
Other topics influencing the new year include the need for organizations and workers to be "agile." This will require using technology—namely AI and Analytics for better decision-making.
As the word denotes, agile describes a person or an organization's ability to move quickly and easily. In today’s business climate, an agile company can respond swiftly and effectively to opportunities and threats internally and in the marketplace.
According to the Agile Business Consortium, an agile company can:
Adapt quickly to market changes, both internally and externally.
Respond rapidly and flexibly to its customers’ needs.
Adapt and lead change productively and cost-effectively without compromising quality.
Continuously operate at a competitive advantage.
While being agile is a critical factor for an organization today, individuals can can also adopt more "agile" thinking in 2023 to a) improve their outcomes in a current position or b) improve their job-hunting success. Being agile-minded includes up-skilling to improve productivity, time management, communication, and problem-solving abilities.
While these anticipated trends look like a lot to tackle, just remember—you aren’t required to master it all at once! The good news is that the pandemic prompted both employees and employers to pause and think deeper about ways to create healthier, more sustainable workplaces—for everyone.
One way to ensure more wins in 2023 is make sure you have the workforce management expertise you need. It's easier and more cost-effective than you think to bring on a UKG expert. Improv can tackle your UKG Dimensions and WFC configuration needs so you can focus on your bigger goals. Contact us today and let's get those configuration issues figured out!