HR
More than 60% of business leaders see HR as a purely administrative role.
Andy and Alice discuss the key challenges facing the world of work regarding HR. From team burnout, to building a diverse workforce and the supporting roles to be played by automation and AI - it's not one to be missed.
The Great HR Burnout
One of the most worrying trends that the world of work is facing is HR burnout. More than half of HR professionals are considering quitting in the next year. Organisations will have to either prepare for a sudden massive talent gap or find ways to help their HR teams avoid burnout.
“Having suffered with this myself, it often feels like there is no HR for HR and it can be a lonely place as we don’t want to admit it for fear of being seen as weak,” notes Natalie Ellis, Founder and Director at Rebox HR.
“The emotional load presented by the role of HR is only likely to increase given the constant changes with employment law and increased employee expectations, sometimes the balance to please everyone is difficult to achieve.”
What’s caused this sudden uptick? A lot of it comes down to changes in the world of work. HR professionals have a lot more on their plate, and they’ve had to learn a lot in very little time thanks to things like the pandemic and the shift to remote work.
Working Alongside AI
“AI is a very useful tool across businesses,” says Ellis. “In the HR space, I think it’ll need to be monitored, purely because it may impact upon areas such as recruitment and performance. Being able to measure its benefits will be telling as to whether it works for a particular organisation or not.”
A blended human/AI workforce offers the potential to enhance productivity, innovation, and decision-making across various sectors. But there are also a lot of challenges and ethics to consider. Effective collaboration between humans and AI is possible, but it needs to be seen as a tool in the toolbox, and not a one size fits all solution to every problem.
Moving into 2024, HR departments will need to work closely with other departments to figure out what AI can do for them, and how it can serve as a supplemental tool rather than a talent replacement.
Building a More Diverse Workforce
Diversity and inclusion has been a top priority for HR departments for several years, and it will continue being so into 2024. Most important of all is ensuring that you have a pipeline that brings in diverse talent from day one.
"Finding new places to promote roles can also help you reach untapped pools. Community outreach to schools and universities can also help you create a pipeline of talent from a range of backgrounds” says Graham Fisher, Senior Product Designer at MHR.
Improving diversity isn’t just a matter of promoting or hiring candidates from diverse backgrounds. It’s a cultural shift that needs to start from the moment you look to hire new employees.
Want to find out more? Read our 2024 road map guide here