Create employee handbooks ✓
Track employee hours ✓
Draft contracts for new employees ✓
Manage company benefits ✓
Handle employee complaints ✓
The list goes on and on. Across many industries, the role of HR has traditionally focused on endless paperwork and organizational policy development.
However, in today's technologically-enhanced workforce, the traditional role of HR is swiftly shifting. Many organizations have undergone significant changes in light of new employment regulations and more diverse, younger employees who demand modern HR departments. Above all, experts agree that the role of the HR team is now genuinely impacted by the rapidly expanding availability of technology and digital tools.
So the role of today’s HR director, manager or executive must parallel the needs of their ever-changing organization. Successful companies also realize they must become more adaptive, resilient and customer-centered.
Taking a more strategic approach to HR management
The evolution of technology allows HR professionals to take on more strategic roles in today’s HR landscape. Organizations must shift towards strategic human resource management or use the HR department to formulate HR strategies based on the company’s short- and long-term goals.
As a result, the decisions that departments make must reflect goals that the company has set. For example, if the organization plans to expand, HR’s recruitment strategy should focus on creating systems that will allow the company to recruit and hire top talent. Within this new type of environment, the HR team acts as a strategic business partner as well as a change mentor.
Here are three additional HR strategies your organization may be overlooking:
Create a retention strategy
Did you know that the costs of employee turnover can range from 30 percent to 150 percent of the employee’s salary? Retaining talented team members can distinguish truly successful companies from not so successful ones. Many employees leave their jobs when they are disengaged. So today’s HR professional must identify what could make people in their company disengaged and figure out ways to remedy these issues.
A strong work-life balance helps create a solid retention strategy. Organizations that promote a positive work-life balance report lower turnover and recruiting costs and increased productivity from satisfied, engaged employees.
Additional successful retention tactics might include giving employees additional time off, supporting working parents via on-site day care or job sharing, and offering flexible schedules to accommodate busy families or supporting continuing education. Employees who have time to spend on maintaining their home life look at work less like just another chore to finish.
Encourage a C-level HR support strategy
If you read anything about organizational change, it typically begins with the need for executive buy-in and support. Changing HR's role is no different. While many of today’s leaders and CEOs do understand the need for HR’s role stand on equal footing as any other business function, others tend to get stuck in a different mindset that is focused on keeping HR behind the scenes.
To shift management’s support of HR from providing transactional processing to offering valuable business insight, experts suggest first creating a business case for change. This method can compel HR to specify why their HR strategies need a more forward-thinking model, and clearly and effectively spell out the major advantages to the company.
Develop an HR analytics strategy
If you want to make your HR processes as efficient as possible, implement the right tech tools for your company, especially those tools that focus on analytics like business intelligence, employee feedback or employee recognition and engagement data. The power of analytics allows HR departments to use employee data to help management make more informed decisions about their team members and improve overall performance. Additionally, analytics can provide insight for effectively managing employees to reach company-wide goals more efficiently. With an analytics strategy firmly in place, executives can also better forecast a company’s future staffing needs.
One of the most critical advantages of incorporating an HR analytics strategy is having information ready and available for future leadership needs. Companies can develop everything from recruiting and development plans to succession tactics with data they’ve collected. Often an overlooked area, a succession plan can help minimize disruption by identifying vital roles in a company and employees who possess the skills to assume these positions immediately should someone leave.
HR teams can also track and measure data to continually improve organizational processes with an analytics strategy in place. For example, much of the HR technology available on the market today can help businesses make more informed decisions about what metrics are most critical to the company culture and overall business goals, as well as track them to drive employee engagement.
The bottom line
It is important to understand that implementing the latest HR strategies is an ongoing process. HR should plan to regularly review its approach and adjust various elements as the company changes.
Ultimately, to remain competitive, HR professionals today must clearly articulate their key role regarding the actual value they create for their organization. Equally important, senior executives must support and invest in HR as if it were its own business, surpassing the stereotype of HR professionals as simply support staff and unleashing their full potential as company-wide strategic partners.
How strong are your HR strategies? Do you have a retention strategy in place? Get started with Achievers’ infographic on 6 Stats That Speak to Employee Retention.
Are you having trouble engaging your employees? Learn how to address employee disengagement with Achievers' white paper on The True Cost of Employee Disengagement.
Do you have any thoughts on this article? Share your comments below.
Lisa, it is an amazing article. Worth read and in-depth. Liked all the three strategies you mentioned especially the last one about developing HR analytics. Keep the good work.
Thank you for reading and sharing your comment! 🙂 Stay updated on all articles by subscribing to The Engage Blog: https://www.achievers.com/blog/
Thank you. Guys you can try Human-telligence smart recruiting software for hiring the best talent for totally Free for a month.
Just click on the link here: http://www.human-telligence.com/recruiting-software/
So glad you enjoyed the article! We strive to provide educational and useful information!
That is Amazing 🙂
Hellow my name is MartinEcoke. Wery proper article! Thx 🙂
Thank you Martin for reading and sharing your comment. 🙂 Check out more articles by Technology Advice here: https://www.achievers.com/blog/author/karri-bishop/
Thanks Martin!
I read a lot of blog post and I never read this kind of article. The stuffs who wrote and the way you explain is unique.
All those strategies are very helpful and good explained.
Thanks for sharing such an informative stuffs. Keep Sharing this kind of article.
Thank you Kiran for reading and sharing your comment! We’re glad you found these HR strategies helpful. 🙂 Stay up to date on our latest articles by subscribing to The Engage Blog here: https://www.achievers.com/blog/
Glad you enjoyed the article Kiran!
I love your amazing article, Lisa!
HR management is such a huge undertaking and should be taken seriously by business owners if they are really serious about making sure that their workforce stays committed, engaged, and loyal to the company’s goals.
I super agree that having the right HR tools and conducting regular HR processes audit are very helpful when it comes to making sure that the HR stays efficient concerning their roles and responsibilities not just towards the company but towards the people they manage, as well.
I would also like to add this resource material: https://www.process.st/hr-templates/. It contains several other HR processes that can be very helpful for those who are just starting out and could not afford their very own HR team yet. 🙂
Thank you Kashish for reading and sharing your comment. 🙂 We completely agree that HR has a huge undertaking to ensure their workforce is highly engaged, and HR tools can help get them there. Check out this article on The 5 Pillars of a Successful HR Strategy: https://www.achievers.com/blog/2018/01/5-pillars-successful-hr-strategy/
I totally agree with the advice for all HR motives to match the goals of the company. I don’t work in HR, but I always have been strong advocate for efficiency and no time wasting in the workplace. If I was in charge of our work’s HR program, I would frequently revisit our motives and connect them back to the company goal.
Thank you Ken for reading and sharing your comment! 🙂 It’s so important for HR motives to match company goals, and we love that you are a strong HR advocate. Check out another interesting read covering 5 Pillars of a Successful HR Strategy: https://www.achievers.com/blog/2018/01/5-pillars-successful-hr-strategy/
I am also working in the HR department from a very long time and the blog you have shared with us is amazing. HR department plays a very important role in every company because decisions made by them runs the whole company. So, I definitely going to follow your tips, keep sharing like this.
Thank you Mike for reading and sharing your comment! 🙂 Stay updated on all the latest articles from The Engage Blog by subscribing at the top right hand side of this page. Also, you might want to check out a fun read on 13 HR Stats That Will Make You Lose Sleep This Halloween: https://www.achievers.com/blog/2018/10/13-hr-stats-that-will-make-you-lose-sleep-this-halloween/
Thanks for sharing this valuable information with us. It is a really helpful article!
Thank you for reading and sharing your comment! 🙂 Check out more articles covering employee engagement: https://www.achievers.com/blog/category/employee-engagement
Stay updated on all the latest articles from The Engage Blog by subscribing at the top right hand side of this page.
Thanks for the tips, we can use this for our HR strategies.
Thank you for reading and sharing your comment! 🙂 Check out more articles covering employee engagement: https://www.achievers.com/blog/category/employee-engagement
Stay updated on all the latest articles from The Engage Blog by subscribing at the top right hand side of this page.