Adaptive practices and advanced HR technology are proving critical as businesses navigate unprecedented change.
As we begin to shift into a ‘post-pandemic’ life in the United States, it’s become increasingly clear that HR leaders need to break old mindsets and adapt to the seismic shifts the job market has experienced. In particular, businesses must move away from the belief that employees are most productive when they are in the office. And with this increased integration of remote and hybrid workforces, utilizing cutting-edge HR management software continues to be increasingly valuable.
Breaking old habits can be an exponentially more difficult task the more extensive the company becomes. Small businesses (SMB) are set up to adapt more fluidly, so as long as senior leadership and Human Resources have the same mindset for the most effective employee management and engagement protocols. Right now, HR leaders are simultaneously facing challenges on multiple fronts:
- The continued impact of hybrid and remote work
- The enduring impact of the Great Resignation
- The rising gray-collar workforce (also known as deskless workers)
A company whose leadership fully invests in and equips its HR reaps long-term benefits as best practices are implemented by an agile department empowered to recognize and embrace change.
The Steady Hum of the Great Resignation and an Empowered Workforce
The world was slow to grasp the rise of the Great Resignation. This phenomenon saw a massive swath of employees quitting their current jobs, a seachange of employees’ perspectives on the workplace that began during the pandemic and hit its full force in 2021. Throughout The Great Resignation, workers reported low pay, a lack of opportunities for advancement, and feeling disrespected at their workplace as significant factors in their desire to find change. Critical factors also included childcare concerns, a lack of flexibility to choose their hours, and insufficient benefits (such as health insurance and paid time off).
While some may think that the Great Resignation has come and gone, the reality is the opposite. In February 2022, resignations and job openings both neared record highs, and the layoff rate settled near a historic low. What was once called The Great Resignation can now more correctly be known as the Sustained Resignation as employee turnover remains consistent, fueled by hybrid and remote work.
Workers Are More Empowered Than Ever Before
Amidst the dramatic upheaval of the workplace, workers feel distinctly empowered, and HR leaders can guide companies through the unpredictable path forward. Many workers are choosing to transition to new employment, a challenge in and of itself. Those who remain with their current employer have evolving expectations of the status quo.
In 2021, more than 175 strikes took place in the U.S. There’s no denying that labor is confidently taking advantage of the current employment landscape, given their willingness to leave. Employees feel more confident than ever to move to businesses that offer competitive employment that better aligns with their desires.
Companies Must Adapt, Aided by Cutting Edge HR Technology
To successfully evolve with the dynamic new landscape, companies – and their HR departments – must adapt to advanced technology and programming. Equipped with cutting-edge HR technology, HR leaders will be able to proactively help their companies embrace a world featuring an empowered workforce and the rise of hybrid and remote work.
Utilizing HR Management (HRM) software to quickly and efficiently process payroll, paid time off (PTO), and time & attendance tracking frees up HR leaders to meet the demands of a workforce that has grown increasingly discontent and disenfranchised. In a world where discontented employees fearing their career advancement has grown stagnant are eight times more likely to search for what they perceive as better employment, HR departments must maximize their time at all costs.
The power of effective HRM software delivers invaluable capabilities for HR leaders and their teams aiming to maximize the efficiency of their operations. It frees you from the burden of time and resource draining responsibilities. Startups and SMBs must carefully choose the HRM software that meets their unique needs. Advanced HR technology fuels excellent efficiency and precision with a user-friendly yet comprehensive approach. It allows businesses to properly manage Direct Payroll, Paid Time Off, and Time and Attendance Tracking, without bogging down departmental productivity.
Attracting and Retaining Top Talent Requires a Properly Equipped HR
Those companies that utilize digital workspace technologies backed by adapted work policies will have a more extensive ability to provide what employees seek. In a workplace operating during the Sustained Resignation, businesses need to deliver a responsive and adaptive work environment that provides consistent access to the applications and information necessary to get work done (regardless of where they are working from).
HR leaders must break outdated perspectives and adapt to a reconfigured job market, discarding the belief that employees are most productive when they are in the office. Senior leadership, including HR, needs to acknowledge the staying power of these shifts. This includes the increased integration of remote and hybrid workforces and the recognition that an agile, responsive HR team is one equipped with cutting-edge technology.
