HR in the Year 2020

What’s up next for the field of HR? At the turn of the decade, three in five HR leaders believe the field will become obsolete if it doesn’t modernize (KPMG). Simultaneously, extraordinary opportunities are on the horizon for professionals who choose to seize them. Think: getting a leg up on administrative tasks from AI, driving the culture of the workplace and retaining top talent. Read on for the trends we’re forecasting.

AI, meet workforce

Believe it or not, you’ve probably interacted with some form of artificial intelligence (AI) by the time you had your breakfast today. Did your email suggest reply text for you? Did you ask Alexa how long your commute to work would take? Yep – all of these are AI. In 2020, HR professionals can expect to see an influx of assistive technology. The key is working with it, not against it. The technology is there to help HR professionals cut down on some of the more mundane tasks, freeing up face-to-face time. Here are some of the areas professionals may get a leg up from a computer: 

• Writing job descriptions: Software like Textio will assist with crafting application-generating job posts.
• Performance management: Look to software to help measure employee impact — even view who your top performers are! 
• Finding the right candidate: You guessed it. Assistive software like KORU will utilize AI to match the right candidate to the job based on their experience.

Hiring – and keeping – talent

With the voluntary quit rate at 2.3% — the highest in 15 years (Forbes) — HR professionals are sure to have retention strategies at the forefront of their minds. Keeping top talent from walking out the door involves creating strong employee experiences that promote engagement. After all, 73% of disengaged employees are actively looking for jobs as compared to only 37% of engaged employees. From an outstanding onboarding experience to creating clear performance expectations, HR will need to have a comprehensive plan in place. Not sure where to start? Join an Essentials of HR or SHRM Certification Exam Prep session at Davenport University’s IPEx.

Crafting the Cultural Landscape

When candidates are asked what their ideal workplace culture is, it’s easy to summarize with trivial things: office dogs, free snacks and more (sounds good, right?). However, these Silicon Valley staples do not a culture make. Today’s HR professional understands that real workplace culture is made up of some of the less tangible items, like the ability for an employee to maintain a work-life balance with an infant. Or, employees having a strong sense of direction from their manager. HR will need to keep a close pulse on what cultural norms are prevailing and create strong policies to implement a healthy and productive work environment for all.

Wrapping it up, HR in 2020 is all about one thing: people. Don’t let the allure of AI and future-focused practices phase you; employees want to find a workplace where they’re happy and can make a difference — simple as that.