We've all spent a lot of time reimagining what the future of work might look like. And before the events of the past year and a half, that future seemed a safe distance ahead. Now, all of a sudden, it's here.
What employees want, when and where they work, and how employers support them — it's all changing. HR and payroll leaders must embrace this new reality and adapt their programs, policies, and mindsets to thrive in a world that truly puts people at the center of business.
In our upcoming one-day virtual HR and Payroll eSymposium taking place on December 1st, you'll have the opportunity to sit in on sessions with visionary speakers, network with peers, and earn professional credits from SHRM, APA, and HRCI – all for free. During the event we will be exploring the theme of embracing a people-centric future and how leaders can adapt to this new mindset in the following key areas.
Purpose-driven development
It's more important now than ever before to rethink talent practices. In this ever-shifting and complex work environment, HR needs to develop strong internal talent pipelines in addition to developing them externally. Creating thoughtful strategies to retain and provide career paths for existing employees in a purposeful way is essential to the health and sustainability of organizations. This is just one way leaders can evolve and adapt to create a more people-centric environment for the future, and we'll be showcasing a host of other examples in our sessions on this topic, such as:
- Fostering team building and collaboration across multigenerational workforces
- Shifting your workforce structure to facilitate talent mobility
- Exploring the deep impact feeling heard has on your people
Building a more inclusive culture
As companies continue to gain a competitive advantage and market share, diverse voices are essential for continued innovation. There isn’t a quick fix to creating a culture that fosters diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B). Rather, it requires ongoing thoughtful work that can’t be done by HR alone. Each of us plays a role in creating an environment that sets a company and its customers up for future success. By keeping this at the forefront of their strategies, leaders create an intentional culture where talent from all backgrounds can thrive. Important aspects to consider here include:
- How you align your technology with people's natural behaviors and tendencies to maximize feelings of inclusion and belonging
- The realities you need to be aware of that could block your DEI&B progress
- All the ways increased diversity benefits your business, such as through more creative ideas, better performance, and wider market appeal
Facing the future
The world has changed. That's just a fact, and now we have to figure out how we move forward. Expectations regarding everything from scheduling flexibility to dress code autonomy to how to make offices spaces an attractive and productive place to work have changed. It's an employee-driven market, which means that companies have begun to adapt in different ways like increasing wages, bolstering benefit offerings, and allowing more flexibility in when and where work is done. Keeping an eye on these types of trends and identifying underlying themes will help leaders be better prepared to face what’s to come in the future. Make sure you're watching the following:
- The workplace norms you used to take for granted that recent events like the pandemic have now challenged
- How much opportunity for choice your employees have and how that's affecting retention
- What ways critical emerging trends like the grey-collar workforce, shifts in what it means to be an ethical leader, and rapid changes in the compliance landscape will affect you
Conclusion: Dive in and make change
You can take a deeper dive into all the timely topics we've discussed here and lead the charge into new ways of working at the upcoming HR and Payroll eSymposium. The engaging sessions, visionary speakers, and unique learning tracks you'll experience will prepare you for the road ahead. Plus, you'll have plenty of opportunities to make new connections, earn credits, and have some fun. It all takes place Wednesday, December 1. Save your spot now!
