Trends and Challenges in the Area of Human Resources for 2023

Every year, talent management experts and large human resources consultancies and companies talk about the trends at work that will mark the year. 2023 begins with a panorama of inflation in the world and a delicate economic situation. Likewise, factors such as digitization or remote or home office that were boosted after the pandemic are coming together and have remained to transform work.

Navigating through difficult times requires greater skill. This will be the case for organizations that want to keep their talent and have successful results. We looked at UKG Megatrends for 2023, Gartner's HR Priorities and Trends Report, and Lattice State of People Strategy Report 2023 to tell you what HR trends and challenges are for 2023.

Caring for the mental health of workers

"Mental health and well-being are now in the spotlight due in part to the effects of the global pandemic, as well as social and economic instability around the world," says the UKG company in its trend report. There is increasing awareness about the importance of taking care of mental health. In this regard, the Great Place to Work organization surveyed more than 14,000 people and discovered that only 1 in 6 employees in the United States had a high state of well-being at work.

Following this line, the same thing happens in multiple countries. In fact, a recent ILO study found that 1 in 5 workers suffer from violence at work. For this reason, offering workers decent and fair conditions is essential. However, it is also important that companies invest in technologies that facilitate work and develop policies to allow the reconciliation of personal, family and work life.

"Addressing burnout with flexible working hours, encourage paid time off and focus on the tasks that really matter to the company to create reasonable workloads and deadlines," is one of the recommendations of the UKG report.

We suggest you read: ILO: 1 Out Of 5 Employees Experience Violence at Work

Get a good employee experience

According to Lattice, by 2023, talent retention has become more significant than recruitment. In this regard, organizations should seek to generate attractiveness for people, especially in times of crisis where a certain stability is sought. According to the Gartner report, "47% of HR leaders, and 44%, believe their organizations do not have attractive career paths." This is why it is crucial that leaders help employees find their career path, with challenges and rewards. Workers must feel that they have a purpose within the company, as well as opportunities to grow.

Thus, the most essential thing is to listen to employees to understand their needs and respond appropriately to them. In this way, it is possible to offer them those benefits that best suit what they require.

Reinforce organizational culture

"Among the one-third of HR leaders concerned with employee contact time, the majority are concerned with connection, professional conversations and morale," according to Lattice. Thus, culture within organizations plays a fundamental role today. This is because culture influences many other aspects, including productivity.

In fact, UKG recommends doubling down on diversity, inclusion, belonging, and equity. "During the 2007-2009 recession, companies with the most inclusive cultures grew 14.4%, while others declined and experienced a 28% reduction in employee turnover," it says. This is also important when many jobs are being done from home, and there is the added challenge of bringing the organizational culture to those hybrid environments. Making workers feel part of the company without being physically in it is a challenge.

Likewise, it is indispensable in moments of crisis to strengthen the culture to face the changes successfully. The Gartner report notes that workers are becoming more resistant to change: "In 2016, Gartner's Workforce Change Survey found that 74% of employees were willing to change their work behaviors to support change Organizations, but that number dropped to 38% in 2022." In this sense, reinforcing this institutional culture so that employees develop a sense of belonging and work for the organization with true motivation is the key to success.