5 HR Trends You’ll See In 2018

As we come to the end of 2017, our thoughts move to the coming year and what major trends we are likely to witness in the world of Human Resources and how this may impact on business. Here are our top predictions:

1. The GDPR comes into effect.

As of May 2018, the new data protection regulations will be implemented, significantly changing the way HR collect and store personal data industry wide.  It will require a complete review of policies and procedures on handling employee information, resulting in one of the biggest changes of the year.

2. The gig economy and remote working.

The formation of the workforce is ever changing. Having a workforce made up of permanent, on-site employees isn’t always the most effective structure. Over the next year, Human Resource companies and departments will have to broaden their approach to employees to include the increasing amount of remote and casual workers. Brushing up on how this effects employees’ rights can help to ease the transition.

Automation is always a hot-button issue for Human Resources. Fears of job redundancy can often get in the way of seeing the potential benefits of introducing more technology into the workplace. The coming year should see HR embrace computer systems, especially talent analytics, to bring effective people management into the present day.

4. Adopting marketing strategies to improve employee retention.

For decades, businesses have been strategizing on the best ways to improve customer experience and brand loyalty. In 2018, we will start to see these strategies being applied throughout the workplace to improve job satisfaction and drive down recruitment costs. Human Resources will need to increase focus on employee wellbeing and fulfilment to keep up with this trend.

5. Out with performance appraisal, in with constant feedback.

This prediction has been on the cards for a while now, with more and more companies deciding that annual appraisals just aren’t enough to effectively manage performance. 2018 will see a notable shift to more frequent employee feedback, keeping the dialogue between the workforce and the organisation open at all times.

Organisations will need to review and assess these coming trends and build in practice within the management and development of their people. HR professionals will need to continue to work with companies to ensure they introduce effective systems and develop the skills of employees to ensure that they evolve and respond to the coming changes.