Utilizing HR Trends

In order to attract the best talent, some major organizations are changing the way they operate. In addition to updating the recruiting process to bring it into the 21st century, some companies are also revolutionizing their business cultures to create a more welcoming environment for talented professionals.

An increasing number of professionals currently searching for work expect HR departments to use technology to make the recruiting process as easy as possible. In order to attract tech-savvy individuals, many organizations are adopting the latest HR trends, which include using technology to locate, pre-screen and interview the most promising candidates for their job openings. This update to the recruiting process saves time and effort for the applicant, and it reduces costs for the company.

Increasingly, the recruiting process takes place on mobile devices. Professionals of all ages are using their smartphones and tablets to search for, save and apply for jobs. Many organizations have realized the benefits that technology can bring and are aiming to attract these digital natives by making the recruiting process fast, simple and mobile-friendly.

It is not just the recruitment process that is changing to be more attractive to potential employees. Some companies are implementing some fun workplace perks, including using gamification to make work seem less of a chore and more of a game. Gamification means using elements from games, such as levels, points and rewards, to motivate employees and get them hooked on making progress at work.

Other companies are striving to improve their employees' work-life balance. Among other recent HR trends, there has been a recent surge in companies offering their employees the benefit of only working a four-day week. One company that has recently replaced the standard five-day working week with one that lasts just four days is Treehouse, an online education company. Employees at Treehouse have better morale and higher productivity since the four-day week was introduced.

Perhaps the broadest change taking place is a change in workplace culture. Some big companies, including the popular online retailer Zappos, are adopting a holacratic structure, which is a system of distributed authority among employees, rather than the traditional corporate hierarchy. The aim is to make all employees feel equally valued by getting rid of traditional notions of some roles being superior to others. In a holacratic organization, all employees work together as a team to drive the business forward. Proponents of this business model say that it promotes employee self-reliance, communication and teamwork.

Many businesses are jumping on board with new trends, updating their recruiting process to make it easier and more welcoming for applicants, improving their office culture and offering a better work-life balance to employees. These trends could lead to happier, healthier and more productive workforces for the companies that embrace them.

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