Empowering HR Leaders to be Change Makers The new normal of work has rendered traditional 9–5 office shifts obsolete, ushering in an era of flexibility, convenience, and hybrid working. This makes it critical for HR leaders to build an environment wherein employees WANT TO work in – rather than HAVE TO work in.

The outbreak of Covid-19 has been by far the most difficult challenge that employees and employers have faced, resulting in unprecedented changes in work practices and culture. The new normal of work has rendered traditional 9–5 office shifts obsolete, ushering in an era of flexibility, convenience, and hybrid working. This makes it critical for HR leaders to build an environment wherein employees WANT TO work in – rather than HAVE TO work in. As HR leaders gear to solve challenges that are unheard of, they must focus on the following imperatives:

'WELLNESS OF BUSINESS' TO 'WELLNESS BEFORE BUSINESS'

To further the vision of a nurturing workplace, we must drive the shift from 'wellness of business' to 'wellness before business'. Globally, an estimated 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety. It is more important now than ever to provide an experience to employees that is meaningful, flexible, empowering, collaborative, and inspiring. While every organization strives to understand what motivates and sustains its employees, it is also becoming increasingly important for organizations to identify the factors that contribute to increased employee engagement. The happy worker-productive worker thesis suggests that workers who experience high levels of well-being and satisfaction perform well. Strengthened focus on emerging EX trends such as providing employees with a healthy work-life balance that allows them to recharge, regular demonstration of company values, ensuring fair pay and job security, and providing ample opportunities for employee development and growth, among others can significantly aid in enhancing the employee experience.

CHARTING THE WAY AHEAD

Disruptive technologies like Metaverse, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are making a mark in every field, and HR is no exception. According to Gartner, recruiting will remain a top priority for HR leaders in the coming years and they will need to reprioritize recruiting strategies in order to align with current business needs. With respect to this, establishing an efficient semi-automated hiring system will be mandatory. In addition to handling HR administrative tasks and ensuring data security, the right tech platforms are helping organisations analyse employee motivation and engagement levels and ensure that the organisation culture is in alignment with those needs. Modern HR software and employee engagement tools are being used to streamline and automate HR processes and ensure data security. Online training and assessment, video communication and interviews, employee self-service portals, and other such channels are being explored to integrate, empower, and encourage employees. This type of easy access to technology and the assurance of being heard and supported leads to increased productivity, motivation, and a lower burnout rate.

AUTOMATION TO TRANSFORM OPERATIONS INTO A VALUE FUNCTION

Intelligent operations with hyper-automation, augmented intelligence, cognitive agility, self-service capabilities, etc. can help streamline HR systems, protect important data, act as success coaches for employees, and in turn, improve productivity, avoid burnout, and offer a better work-life balance. By using augmented analytics tools, HR leaders can automate repetitive processes. By switching to new-age technologies, it is possible to ensure that everyone is well equipped and aware of navigating through the rapid changes in the future. In 2023, AI-powered digital talent intelligence will become even more important. Platforms that are foolproof and incorporate adequate AI data analytics will serve as the first line of recruiters, generating ample insights on all parameters including the skill and cultural fit of each candida