Putting People First

Anyone who picks up the State of HR, which is HR Exchange Network's report explaining the findings of our latest survey of more than 400 HR professionals, will quickly realize that employees still have leverage. Even as a possible recession threatens the job market and layoffs in the tech sector abound, Human Resources professionals paint a picture of a human-centric approach to work. Organizations are moving toward making talent central to their business strategy. 

It's a wild time to be at work, and the State of HR is a great way to better understand what exactly is happening. Here are a few findings that speak to the elevation of the employee: 

-Employee engagement, with 24% of the vote, is the number one HR trend in 2023.

-The top challenge to the future of work, with 22% of the vote, is retaining top talent.  

-The word "employee" is the most common response when respondents are asked what will define HR in 2023.

These responses send a strong message about the importance of the people supporting an organization. This focus on the employee is happening at the same time as ChatGPT and other automation technology are threatening the relevancy of human work. Granted, for the time being, they cannot completely replace humans and many industries are still experiencing a labor shortage. 

Clearly, HR professionals are committed to transforming the workplace so that it addresses people first. They are trying to improve work-life balance with policies and culture shifts. They are responding to quiet quitting and bare minimum Mondays and all the rest. HR is helping people grow professionally by implementing learning programs designed for the future of work. They are providing mental health and wellness initiatives and benefits to ensure talent feels cared for, too. Of course, most obviously, they are trying to level the playing field, increase salaries to match inflation and rising costs, and provide access to benefits like healthcare and education, all of which make lives better. 

You can download the report for free to get all the results of this global survey. Then, let us know what you think of the findings and how they might influence Human Resources for the rest of this year and beyond. 

To ensure you're always the first to know about HR Exchange Network's live events, informative webinars, in-depth reports, the latest in news and trends, and so much more, sign up to be a member. It's free and it offers a chance to interact with leading HR professionals as you grow your career. 

Until next time...