HR trends that have marked 2022

As the year is coming to and end, it is the perfect moment for a quick recap. What are the most significant HR trends that have marked this year, and how have they affected your business? Staying indifferent to these trends has been almost impossible- some have had more impact on your business than others. Learning from your past experience and identifying your weaknesses can and will help you in defining your 2023. HR strategy.

Building a strong Employer Brand

In a fierce talent acquisition and retention war, having a strong Employer Brand can help you a lot. As we’ve witnessed, the Great Resignation has caused tectonic changes throughout industries. Not only has it made difficult to find new employees, but also keep existing ones. A good Employer Brand can help you become a more attractive employer and a more obvious choice amongst job seekers. Your Employer Brand should be backed up by the experience your employees have with your organization. There’s no better recommendation for you as a positive work experience of your employees. 
Putting in extra effort to create a positive Employee Experience 

Employee experience starts with their first encounter with your company, and lasts all the way until they leave you as employees. It is your job to make their journey as positive as possible, starting with your Employer Brand and continuing throughout the hiring and onboarding process. Recruitment software can help you out a lot in the beginning to make the recruitment and onboarding process smoother and their experience better. Using innovative technologies not only helps decrease the workload, but also enhances wellbeing. More and more employees are prioritizing their work-life balance and value their wellbeing over money. Paying more attention to your employees will increase the retention rate and help you in talent acquisition now more than ever it seems. 

Flexibility, Flexibility and… Flexibility

While adaptability was one of top trends during the pandemic, flexibility is one of leading trends now. Hybrid workspace, flexible hours more freedom to balance professional and private life- anything and everything that will keep your employees happy, productive and engaged. Looks like there’s no going back to pre-pandemic work organization, and it seems that everyone is happier this way. Technology enabled this transition that started as a necessity but ended up becoming the new standard. It also enabled businesses to widen their talent search and include various candidates from all over the world in their recruitment process. Employee acquisition and retention is fierce, but now at the same time you have a much bigger talent pool to choose from. There are always two sides to every story, and it’s up to you try and turn every challenge into an opportunity. 

People Analytics 

Something everybody is talking about nowadays and starting to see its importance. Information is power, so why should this be any different? Thanks to technology, people analytics have come a long way since first introduced in the mid 1900’s. Also known as Talend or HR analytics, it is just the thing you need for well-educated decisions throughout your employees’ lifecycles. This data-driven and goal-focused method can improve your hiring process as well as retention rate and boost performance management. It is a trend that we will be hearing more about in years to come as it continues to further evolved with the use of new technologies.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

This trend wasn’t new to 2022, but remained one of the leading trends in HR in 2022. and will probably continue to influence HR decisions in 2023.as well. Creating and supporting diversity, equity and inclusion has become one of HR main focuses in building a healthier and happier workforce. With the right management and leadership and a culture to back it up, you can become an employer everyone wants to work for. Having a diverse and inclusive team can boost innovations, productivity, enhance your employer brand, and create a positive impact on the community. When creating a recruitment strategy, look pass bias decisions that favor certain demographic groups and leave out others despite their qualifications. Certainly something technology can also help you with in your recruitment process.   

These are just some of the most talked about trends of 2022. Health and wellbeing of your employees continues to be a priority in every HR decision. Only then can you expect positive results, engagement and long-term commitment. Add technology into the equation, and you will get something close to perfection in terms of HR management. It is true that trends are changing faster than ever before, but creating a healthy and positive workspace that nurtures differences and acknowledges everyone’s efforts is the right way to go.   

End of the year is a perfect time for retrospection and a guide for the new HR strategy. Don’t be hard on yourself, it is impossible to do everything right and please everyone. Do your best, continue paying attention to your employees, and don’t underestimate the importance of your first impression as an employer. Oh and don’t forget- technology can help you implement your HR strategy every step of the way!