Experts Weigh in on the Future of HR

Published On September 18, 2019

Most HR professionals believe that their department is meeting the needs of their organizations today, but they don’t feel they are well prepared for the near future, according to a 2019 HR.com survey. Out of almost 350 HR professionals surveyed in The Advancing HR Function report, 46% gave their HR departments high marks in terms of being able to meet the needs of their organizations. However, only 36% offered positive marks when it came to being prepared to thrive over the next 3-5 years. What actions can HR professionals take now to prepare for the future?

Close the HR Data/Analytics Skill Gap

There is a wide HR data/analytics skill gap. 79% of respondents view data/analytics as essential or important, but only 27% feel the proficiency in their departments is excellent or above average. Closing this gap is an important step to preparing HR for future success as there are several ways HR uses data.

Prepare for External Factors

Talent shortages, technological changes and changing laws all top the list of external factors that will have the greatest impact on HR in the next 3-5 years.

Highly skilled workers can be difficult to find. Deloitte’s 2019 Global Human Capital Trends report found that more than 25% of the US labor force changes jobs each year. Using technologies such as AI could help HR spend less time sifting through resumes.

HR professionals are entrusted with employee’s sensitive information and must protect their data according to ever increasing privacy laws and regulations. Fines for non-compliance with laws such as the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) are costly and can damage your organization’s brand. It is important to know what data you have for employees, where it is and what rights they have.

Leverage Technologies

HR technologies will contribute to key talent management areas. Participants cited analytics (69%) and employee self-service (62%) as technologies that will play the largest roles in the next several years.

Automating HR functions frees up time spent on administrative duties to work on developing strategic partnerships. Preparing for automation can be daunting, especially if the technology isn’t implemented effectively. Having a strong data foundation is key to implementing these new technologies successfully.

The Future of HR

The HR function is transforming, but there is no agreement on how. Almost half (46%) say HR will be transformed into a more strategic function; and 40% believe HR will divide into two functions, one for strategic and one for administrative issues.

There are a number of ways HR professionals can advance their function to meet the future needs of their organization. Watch our webinar, The Advancing HR Function: The Future of HR and HR Technologies to learn how HR is leveraging new technologies and how having a solid data foundation is the first step to implementing these new technologies effectively.