HR's many challenges and roles in the decade of 2020

Human Resources (HR) has evolved significantly over the years, and the challenges, roles, and responsibilities of HR professionals in the 2020s have continued to change and expand. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift toward remote and hybrid work models. The competition for skilled workers has become fierce and HR must continuously change and adapt its recruitments strategies to attract diverse candidates. Companies – and their HR departments – must be much more conscious of how their employer brand is perceived. Discrimination in the workplace, whether it's deliberate or unintentional, still hinders the ability of marginalized groups to secure jobs, advance in their careers, and attain promotions. (Friedman 2020). AI brings its own special curve ball to the world of human resources.

 

Workplace culture is more important than ever

In a 2019 survey with over 5,000 participants, over 50% of respondents stated that a company's culture holds greater significance for their job satisfaction compared to receiving a higher salary. Moreover, over 75% of individuals worldwide would contemplate a company's culture as a crucial factor before even applying for a job. (Glassdoor 2019) It is rather evident that employees want to work for organizations that share their values and uphold a culture that resonates with them. I myself just quit my job in a company where I had been for almost 6 years. Partly I resigned to pursue my dreams in HR field, but the biggest factor in deciding to look for a new job right now, was the toxic culture that the company was withholding.

 

Complying with IT security and labor laws

Complying with regulatory requirements has always been a fundamental part of HR, but it has grown increasingly complex. With a rising number of employees working from remote locations, the necessity of upholding data security regulations has become more pronounced. HR teams must forge strong partnerships with IT and security departments or seek external expertise to conduct thorough risk assessments, guaranteeing the confidentiality and security of company data during remote access.

Furthermore, ensuring compliance with labor regulations, including those related to overtime, becomes more challenging when employees are not physically present in the office. Because HR must possess a comprehensive understanding of regulations and laws, it can be useful to regularly share up-to-date information to employees. It may also be beneficial to organize training sessions and create resources that promote a culture of adherence to regulations.

Currently, my work arrangement involves remote work from my home office. In my prior role, I worked as the company's Health and Safety Representative, which provided me with quite good understanding of ergonomics, labor laws, and regulations, including how these aspects should be managed in the workplace. However, while working remotely without specific weekly or daily hours stipulated in my current contract, I've noticed a growing tendency to extend my workdays from sunrise to sunset. Recognizing these habits in my own work routine, I've taken it upon myself to establish a daily practice of reaching out individually to my team members. During these conversations, I try to emphasize the importance of taking breaks and allowing themselves time to recharge.

 

 

HR skills needed in the decade of 2020

HR professional must obtain quite many skills in teh decade of 2020. They must be able to navigate the rapidly evolving work life and regulations. For years now, I have noticed a change in the titles and positions of HR professionals to become more specialized in certain areas.

HR professionals must be tech savvy to learn all the time changing IT tools and platforms. They must analyze data to make valid decisions about recruitment, talent management and employee engagement. While needing to understand data, they also must have emotional intelligence and empathy to be able to create lasting relationships with employees. HR professionals must have good communication skills and to mediate and resolve conflicts that may arise. A solid understanding of employment regulations and labor laws as well as knowing the industry’s collective agreements like your own pockets is crucial. HR professionals must also be able to put aside their own prejudices and bias to promote diversity, equity and inclusion. And as all this was not enough already, HR professionals must lead in everchanging work environments.

 

HR in my workplace

As mentioned above, I have just changed my workplace. In my position, I am the HR-coordinator. We are a small staffing company that employees four personnel – myself included – in company’s core functions, and then about 100 temporary workers around Finland. In core functions, we have an assistant, two recruiters, and me. I was hired to help with recruiting, but also to be responsible of our internal HR functions. I have only worked in this company for three weeks, yet it has become clear that the most important aspects of my job in supporting the success of this company, are to know my laws, to create processes in the company that will ensure equal recruitment experience for each candidate, to take care of my colleagues and all our temporary workforce, and to analyze and develop company’s operations.

I personally believe that the employees are every company’s the most important resource, and it is an honor to me to serve others so that their work life is balanced and joyful.

 

 

Sources:

Friedman E. 2020. Top Five Issues Facing Human Resources in 2020. Forbes. 6 April 2020. URL: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2020/04/06/top-five-issues-facing-human-resources-in-2020/. Accessed: 20 September 2023.

Glassdoor 2019. New Survey: Company Mission & Culture Matter More Than Salary. Career Advice Experts. 11 July 2019. URL: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/blog/mission-culture-survey/. Accessed: 20 September 2023.