HR Professionals Should Consider These Trends For 2022 And Beyond

The way we work is changing

With the pandemic in 2020 setting the stage for a shift in workforce management, 2021 became the year for recalibrating best practices and expectations around the way work is structured. Supporting employees’ physical and mental health, navigating the return to the office, overcoming the Great Resignation, and finding new workforce management processes in a hybrid work world certainly kept HR teams busy this past year.
 

As we look ahead to 2022, HR professionals need to keep innovating to remain competitive in tight labor markets. This means going beyond simply maintaining the status quo to stay afloat: organizations must get ahead of coming trends and take advantage of the opportunities they offer to advance their workforce capabilities. 

Here are four major trends to prepare for next year, and how to make the most of them.

Expanding the Talent Pool by Tapping the Gig Economy

The gig economy has been evolving for the past decade since disruptors like Uber and Airbnb came on the scene. Now, more traditionally structured organizations are finding ways to make the gig economy work for them. This will be especially relevant as labor shortages continue and companies look to fill their talent gaps. Freelance platforms such as Upwork have been one way for organizations to access talent for specific projects without hiring full-time employees, and we can expect companies to expand their freelance programs to fill talent gaps in 2022. 

Managing freelancers has historically required strategic planning from HR teams to understand the time and money to allocate, and to manage payment and proper paperwork. Going forward, companies will also need to find ways to judge the quality of work delivered so they can measure the value they receive from freelancers’ work and adjust accordingly. Workplace management solutions can solve this need by providing mechanisms that evaluate if work is completed to specific standards.

Across industries, companies will need to consider if they really require full-time employees to accomplish the work, or if a different system makes sense to access available talent. For instance, a repository of qualified, vetted “substitutes” of sorts could be more effective in many industries. From healthcare to hospitality, companies could maintain a centralized system of talent to notify when a shift or assignment is open. With a few clicks, every qualified freelancer could see the opportunity and accept it if they’re available. This type of turnkey solution can fill talent gaps and streamline HR processes like onboarding, compliance, and certification requirements. 

Leveraging the Talent at Your Organization in Creative Ways

This gig model can also be applied to existing employees. Looking ahead, organizations may want to establish an internal marketplace that operates similarly to these gig networks. Managers can post openings for assignments, positions, and projects that prioritize current employees for exciting new opportunities. The future of organizational structures will therefore be less centered on who holds specific titles, and more on understanding what work needs to be done and who has the knowledge and passion to take it on.

Companies should also be thinking about how to reskill and upskill their employees in 2022. Employees today are interested in gaining expertise and exploring new functions within an organization, as opposed to staying stationary and moving up a traditional job ladder. HR teams may want to look for ways to offer those developmental opportunities. This could look like a buddy or shadowing programs (mentorship) where experienced employees guide newer talent to benefit both the individuals and the organization.

This is especially valuable in a market where knowledge hiring is increasingly difficult. Companies will have more success finding people with key competencies and then training them with the relevant knowledge, so they are fully functional on a team rather than the other way around. Connecting more knowledgeable workers with next-gen talent will supplement that gap. 

Managing Dispersed Workforces Effectively

Having now spent almost two years learning to effectively manage dispersed workforces, HR departments will need to continue to be agile and hone their best practices in 2022. With more organizations offering work-from-anywhere and work-from-home options, there will be even newer, logistical challenges to consider. Leveraging tools such as workforce management technology can help streamline the implementation of new processes to enable employees to do their best work, wherever they may be or however they work.

For instance, HR teams will need to become experts in laws across locations that vary widely from state to state or country to country. In Washington state, for example, there are particular family and medical leave laws employers need to understand to remain compliant. Having the right tools to learn and keep track of these diverse policies will be critical. This emphasis on compliance will require more stringent procedures to ensure workers are properly classified and organizations are protected as we adjust to a more global, remote workforce.

Furthermore, managing these complex regulatory demands means HR professionals will need to automate parts of the compliance process to ensure nothing important slips through the cracks. With compliance regulations and employees’ locations changing frequently, workforce management software can help organizations update policies—and stay up to date—in a fraction of the time it takes to do manually. 

Listening to – and Meeting – Employees’ New Needs

At its core, human resources is about supporting employees to better meet an organization’s goals. As we have seen this past year, employees have ever-evolving needs, which means the onus is on HR departments to find new ways to accommodate them. Overall employee experience will continue to be top of mind in 2022 as the quest for qualified talent continues.

Many employees will expect a combination of the flexibility and creativity that the gig economy offers, with the stability of full-time work (like healthcare and benefits). Employers have the power to make this happen with new possibilities like work-from-home or work-from-anywhere, both of which allow employees to spend more time with family, explore new interests, and even travel, without having to leave their job.

Geographical flexibility will also extend into time flexibility—employees may not want to work strictly 9-5 hours on a salary. There is a growing preference for hourly pay and “irregular” work hours. But that doesn’t mean employees will want to work less or be less engaged with their organization. Companies will need to re-examine what employee engagement looks like, how time is tracked, and how productivity is measured to meet these changing preferences. The companies that evolve to this way of thinking will retain their talent by offering the opportunity to pursue new passions while working hard.

HR teams will also need to work closely with finance partners and board members to reassure them that putting employees’ needs first does not mean that revenue will be ignored. By shifting to a mindset in which happier, more engaged employees result in higher customer value and revenue, everyone at the organization, as well as the organization itself, can benefit and reap the results.

Building, Not Just Maintaining, HR Capabilities

Thinking about all the possibilities this next year can bring as we consider the future of the workplace is inspiring. Workplaces can be a place of support, achievement, and growth all while meeting both individuals’ and the organization’s goals. The key is having the time and resources to make it all happen.

When the HR team is working at full capacity to keep the whole operation running, it’s easy for innovation to fall to the bottom of the to-do list. But when teams have the right tools, procedures, and processes in place to get their daily tasks done more effectively, we broaden the horizon to start building an even better workplace community.

Automating and streamlining tasks with workforce management tools such as regulatory compliance, scheduling, time and attendance, and payroll means HR teams can spend their time on initiatives that level up their workforce, not just keep them operating “business as usual.” As a result, HR departments will continue to add even more value to their organization and be at the forefront of the trends highlighted here as well as others that emerge as we enter this new era of work.

Melinda Honcoop is Chief People Officer at TCP Software. Mindy was previously the Executive Director of People & Talent at Spiceworks. As an executive HR leader, Mindy has built and led the overall vision, designed and implemented change and transition strategies to enable global business growth, and coached and influenced senior executives. Mindy also is a co-founder of the Austin Women in Agile meetup and is passionate about helping others realize their full potential while achieving their desired goals. Connect Melinda Honcoop