HR needs to focus on employee-centric approach in 2023

HR leaders learned on the fly as they helped companies and their employees through the pandemic, a tough economy, and social unrest. Next year, they’ll continue to play key roles as organizations navigate change and plan for the future of work.

In 2023, these areas will emerge as top priorities for HR leaders:

1. All eyes on employee experience

A Gartner survey of HR leaders found that 47% cite employee experience as a top priority for 2023.

Employees are looking for companies to focus on four areas:

• Putting people first:The employee experience needs to be individualized to their personal and professional circumstances.
• Flexibility:One-size does not fit all, and employees need flexible hours and benefits that fit their lifestyles.
• Shared purpose:Employees are increasingly seeking out organizations that align with their ethics, values and politics.
• Overall well-being:Employees look for companies that take a holistic approach to mental, physical and emotional health.

Also read: English news channel “India Ahead” shuts down, employees not paid for months

2. Employee-manager relationships, humanized

Management has become increasingly complicated in hybrid work environments, and expectations of managers have skyrocketed. Now that companies have  systems in place to support hybrid work, HR managers in 2023 will be shifting their focus toward developing relationships with new employees and strengthening relationships with veterans on their team.

Emotionally distant management is a thing of the past. Employees want and need managers who are authentic and empathetic.

A human-centric approach to fostering relationships can help boost morale and mitigate attrition, directly impacting the company’s bottom line. The

3. Grappling with the talent shortage

With older generations leaving the workforce, COVID, and new college grads lacking the skills businesses demand, recruiting and hiring in 2023 is going to be challenging.

According to Gartner’s HR survey, 36% of HR leaders say their recruiting strategies fall short when it comes to finding the skills they need.

Traditional recruitment strategies that rely on recruiting firms and LinkedIn messages aren’t delivering quality candidates. In 2023, HR will pull from marketing’s playbook.

• Reputation is everything: Develop and promote a strong brand that highlights company ethics, employee’s growth, a vibrant culture, and stable finances.
• Tap your network:Referrals from current employees to future candidates will be a company’s most valuable asset for hiring in 2023.

As the employee experience will takes center stage in 2023, managers will focus on tightening their bonds with their employees to support growth and development.

4. Filling the gap: The rise of contingent workers

The Great Resignation has resulted in jobs remaining open longer while companies search for candidates with the right set of skills for each role. In the battle for talent, contingent workers — also known as freelancers and contract workers — are filling the gaps with specific skills that companies need, an HR trend that will continue in 2023.

Workers and companies alike are seeing the benefits of contingent work. Flexibility and control are the top priority for employees and employers. The benefit to companies is the chance to bring on contract workers on a project basis, allowing them to test the talent pool while saving money on insurance and benefits.

5. Perfecting hybrid work in 2023

Since 2020 employers and employees have navigated the benefits and challenges of remote and hybrid work together. Next year, getting these new flexible work models right will be a top HR trend.

Employees aren’t willing to give up the flexibility, work-life balance, and money they save working remotely. Companies that don’t offer flexible work models have a harder time recruiting and retaining employees.

At the same time, hybrid work comes with a raft of HR challenges, including establishing and maintaining trust, collaboration, and employee visibility across the organization.

6. Can you see me: Employee visibility in a hybrid world

Hybrid work presents the specific challenge of measuring and tracking employee performance. Companies promoting flexibility means that employees get to choose how they work within the parameters the company has put in place.

With the shift to hybrid work, the concept of employee visibility takes on new meaning and companies need to find new ways to ensure employees are recognized and included, whether they work remotely or in an office.

Visibility is especially important for supporting DEI. Leaders need to ensure all workers, including women and people of color are recognized, represented, and heard. In 2023, the HR trend towards increased visibility will help pave the way for new development paths.

7. Upskilling

Nearly all employees are looking for a growth path within their career and 44% of employees feel like their current companies don’t offer compelling career paths, according to Gartner’s recent study. Understandably, employees are looking elsewhere for new growth opportunities.

In 2023, employee development needs to be tailored to the person and the role. A few questions to consider are:

• How does the employee learn?
• What skills do they already have?
• How can information and resources best be shared?

8. Keeping employee engaged despite the distance

With work becoming more individualized and teams spending less and less time in the office, data is showing that employees don’t value work friendships anymore. This is an unsettling HR trend, given the 2018 Gallup survey, which found that employees who have a best friend at work are seven times more likely to be engaged at their job.

Happy hours, lunches, and casual interactions provided opportunities to build work bonds, but have evaporated since COVID. The onus falls on managers to keep employees engaged through regular check-ins and virtual team meetings.

The HR outlook for 2023

As the employee experience will takes center stage in 2023, managers will focus on tightening their bonds with their employees to support growth and development.

The world of work has changed dramatically in recent years and will continue to evolve. Companies will lean heavily on HR and the talent and experience of their teams as they tackle the challenges ahead.

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