The HR industry has faced massive upheaval since the pandemic with employers seeing the need for pro-active and highly responsive strategies to support business growth and development. Recent trends show that HR teams are facing a new challenge with many employers undergoing significant staffing challenges.
Retention. Reputation. Attraction. It’s a candidates’ market out there at present and when thinking about recruitment, retention needs to take centre stage, to not only retain existing staff but to attract new talent into the business.
Louise Kennedy, Managing Director, Oculus HR said: “Over the years we have seen the HR landscape change frequently, businesses with robust HR systems and processes in place have seen the benefit of this investment in recent years. It is vital to embed impactful HR policies and procedures from day one, and investment in succession planning is key. This succession planning is an essential tool to retain and in turn attract top talent into the business, getting the culture right is also vital, thereby marketing the business to employees as an attractive employer.”
One size does not fit all when it comes to HR policies and employers need to take the time to invest in these. From wellbeing policies to supporting different working models such as the growth of hybrid working, employers need to be aware of current trends and expectations from both prospective and existing employees.
HR support needs to be transparent and consistent; processes need to support employees throughout their journey, from offer of employment through to the succession planning. These processes will help build the reputation of the business as a forward thinking and dynamic employer committed to employee support, growth and development. Some key areas to get right include:
Wellbeing and Mental Health
It is increasingly important to support employees’ mental health in the workplace and as such a wellbeing policy will be top of the agenda for many.
Bullying and harassment
A topic that is on the rise, especially with the increase in hybrid working, having this policy in place assures employees that you care about their safety.
Working practices
The world of work has changed, and with the rise in the cost of living some employees are prioritising employment with flexible working options. In addition, existing employees need be clear on the opportunities around applying for flexible working models. Positive HR processes should underpin the recruitment strategy, if the processes are right, it will reflect well on company values. Existing employees will in turn become advocates and champion the business.
Louise added: “A point to note is that Exit interviews are incredibly important, especially when it comes to gaining a deeper understanding of employee concerns, morale in the workplace, management processes, day to day operations and more. Conducting exit interviews provide the perfect opportunity to identify ways that you can optimise employee retention and maximise engagement opportunities. Ultimately, you will be able to get an overview of employee experience of working within your business.”