If you listen to the media, we might as well all pack up and go home right now.
Is the economy in bad shape? Yes. Is there a lot of change happening all around us in HOW we work. Absolutely! And it’s this that has led me to belief that it is going to be such a great year for the HR consultancies across the UK and America.
I’ve just finished recording Series three of my podcast Future Speak and have been talking to guests and experts across the HR consultancy spectrum, as well as those associated with it.
What has been clear is that business leaders are recognising more and more that they want an HR expert in their business to support change, to support growth and to support THEM. We are rapidly losing the stigma of being ‘the people police.’
Engagement survey reality
We’ve all seen them. Engagement surveys telling us that around 80 and even 90% of the workforce is disengaged. Yet, companies are trying to deep dive into what’s behind this.
Are they actively disengaged out of work? With family, with friends? Is it something to do with the work environment or how they are working?
We can really help innovate our client’s approach to employee engagement in 2023. Let’s get creative.
Trust
We have seen so much trust lost post the pandemic. By companies insisting their workforce returns to the office, there’s a divide that seems to be widening Employees are feeling that they were trusted during the pandemic and now, they aren’t being trusted to work from home.
No one is in the wrong here, it’s tough, really tough on leadership right now. Is it poor communication? Are employees expecting too much possibly? Does leadership need help to change their thinking?
We’ve ALL changed because of the pandemic and there’s no, ‘going back’, to how we ‘used to be’. Yet again, another reason for the increasingly high demand for HR and expertise.
Knock on effect to attracting the right people – and retaining them
How we attract and retain our employees is changing and evolving too. Is it a four-day week? Flexi time and if so, how will that work in reality?
What about looking at offering schemes like Daily Pay in the States, which is an award-winning platform that gives employees access to their earnings when they need it. It’s an earned wage access in effect. Wellbeing and financial wellbeing apps are also becoming more prevalent.
Opportunity knocks in 2023
Is it going to easy? No! Do I think we all have the answers? No. But what we do have is the opportunity to help create and modernise the workforce, one company at a time, one innovation at a time and using clear communication.
The big word in 2023 will be ‘how’ – and that’s where you all come in!
