Challenges Facing HR over the Next 5 Years

The recent recession that shrunk workforces around the country and contributed to the rise of temporary labor has significantly changed the face of human resources in companies both major and minor. While these changes have created unique resources for those employed in the field, they have also led to a number of HR challenges that need to be overcome.

One of the biggest HR challenges that human resources departments have to adapt to is the growth of the temporary and contract job markets. Many different industries are turning to temporary workers rather than full-time hires to fill vacancies. Employing contract workers offers a number of benefits to businesses, but human resources managers need to know how to contract good workers, form partnerships with reputable temp agencies and transfer contract workers to permanent positions when the time is right.

Another important skill for human resource departments to foster is leadership retention and development. As companies grown and expand, one of the most important things they can cultivate is strong leaders in key positions. Human resources departments should give future company leaders the tools they need to realize their full potential. This can be in the form of subsidized higher education, employee training programs or other long-term investments in employees' futures.

One of the keys to a united and happy workforce is good communication at all levels of business. It often falls to the human resources department to set up these lines of communication and encourage collaboration between employees. Especially in larger companies, this can present a logistical challenge for HR managers. They must not only create and maintain communication channels between departments and employee leadership levels, but also make sure that all employees are aware of these channels. Some workers may be reluctant to address suggestions and concerns to their supervisors, so HR departments often need to develop strategies to encourage all employees to make themselves heard.

The final challenge to HR workers is one that practically all employees in the modern workforce have to deal with. Rapidly changing technology runs the risk of leaving employees who don't make efforts to stay abreast of new developments in the dust. Human resources managers can use new technology to make a variety of their daily tasks easier, such as finding new talent for the company, planning employee training and maintaining an efficient workforce. However, they must also stay on top of trends and keep an open mind about new technologies.

The field of HR is changing, but it is also presenting opportunities for growth and development. Savvy human resources managers will learn to overcome the challenges of the next half decade to make their departments stronger than ever and learn to use changes to hiring practices to their advantage.

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