HR 2019 - four key topics to focus on | Recruitment

For many of us, the Christmas and New Year break offers an opportunity for reflection. We look back at the year just gone and weigh up what went well and what could have been better.

Every HR team will be able to identify an initiative that has not entirely gone to plan. For whatever reason, it did not take off and the impact did not justify the investment. It might be tempting to question the judgement of those making the decisions and conduct a thorough investigation, but there is more to the HR function than collectively wringing our hands about past failings.

HR has to look forward to the kind of organisation that it wants to become rather than seek to correct the mistakes of the past. There are seismic changes taking place in the world of work, so while a certain degree of introspection is important, it is not worth dwelling on for too long. The future will change, whether you change with it, or not.

Although we offer a broad range of services to our clients, it is interesting that the majority of clients seek to improve upon what they have rather than try out too many new directions. The compulsion to dwell on past mistakes does offer a solid starting point, but you can’t become a breakout leader if you are only making iterative changes.

For us at ResourceBank, a blank page is the best place to start.

We offer a wide range of services to a huge array of clients and our years of experience in designing bespoke programmes point to the fact that a well-designed “fresh start” will beat a botched “sticking plaster” any day.

So, what are our clients focusing on in 2019?

1. Employee engagement and exit interviews

During 2018 we had a record number of new clients for our independent exit interview service. HR managers realise that they cannot rely on internal exit interviews to discover the real reason that employees leave - and they have tasked us with finding the truth - and giving recommendations on what they can do to reduce attrition. In 2019 given uncertainties around Brexit and the ongoing demand for key skills, it will be critical for HR teams to ensure that your high performing employees are engaged and motivated to remain with you.

2. Restructuring and Managed Outplacement

Towards the end of 2018 we ran several outplacement support programmes for businesses undertaking a restructuring process. Again with the turbulent economy and changing work practices, we do anticipate an increase in restructuring during 2019. During any restructuring it is vital to provide professional help to individuals you are making redundant. Not only does this help those individuals to obtain employment outside your business, it minimises the possibility of them leaving negative reviews for your business on glassdoor and indeed.

3. Talent hacking and AI in recruitment

Competition for key skills has meant that companies that do not get involved in “talent hacking” in 2019 are not talking to the best candidates in the workforce. These individuals will not apply for your jobs - they need to be identified and approached professionally for you to have any chance of attracting them to your business. Conversely, within volume recruitment, it is now so easy for candidates to apply for jobs that employers must embrace the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to filter and identify the best candidates.

4. Employer branding and EVP

The importance of a strong employer brand and people-centric culture has never been more important, and we continue to help our clients ensure that they offer people the very best working experience. It is all about how they feel when they walk through the doors every morning (and out again every evening). Encapsulating that feeling, and then communicating it to candidates, is a key part of any successful talent attraction process. During 2019 we anticipate a growing use of video with "day in the life" features, interviews, site tours (and even live web-cams to allow candidates to see straight into their potential workplace).

Those are our thoughts on what will be on the to-do list for many HR teams this month. Whatever your challenges, we wish everyone a fantastically successful 2019 and if you have a blank page that you are pondering, feel free to give us a call.

We are currently offering a discounted New Year offer on our unique “recruitment healthcheck” service which helps your recruitment department analyse its strengths and weaknesses and identify actions to make you become more effective and competitive.