HR like many other functions will be impacted by the changing world of work. For the function to remain strategically relevant and add the value that is required there is no room for complacency.
There is a real opportunity for HR to “seize the day”. By being well informed about the technological and demographic trends, they will be able to constructively and proactively help the business shape the future of their workforces and provide a competitive advantage.
To enable HR to capitalise on this opportunity they firstly must maintain their position of influence and report directly to the CEO. The function’s influence is automatically diminished in most instances, if reporting lines change to report into finance or operations.
Secondly, more than ever HR needs to continue to attract a diversity of candidates and should resist the function being dominated by one gender or one age group.
This is becoming increasingly difficult. The modern day recruiter is being put under pressure by organisations to provide women for senior roles, often being advised not to bother to provide male applicants for HR, communications or public relations positions.
In the process, the gender diversity in these already female dominated functions is being severely compromised. Men are realising that they have little hope of progressing their career and are seeking other options. Consequently, men who leave positions are being routinely replaced by women.
Having been a HR Executive leading teams of HR professionals I have valued the contribution of a diverse team. What worries me is that the very diversity we are seeking as women is being compromised in the functions we already dominate.
Ironically this may be a good career move for men, though limiting for diversity of the function. Internal HR departments are predicted to significantly reduce in size as outsourcing continues, technology advances and there is increased employee participation in traditional HR processes. Even the most fundamental HR practices like employment contracts have the potential to be outsourced as the world of work becomes more complex, virtual and global.
The future of work is predicted not to be confined by office walls; permanent employment will be for the privileged few. There will be fierce global competition to obtain and retain the brightest employees in relevant fields. Technology will dominate almost all areas of work. Analytics and big data will drive decisions. New companies will employ less employees than ever before and jobs will exist that have not even been thought of.
The leaders of companies who embrace and invest in the future are more likely to influence their own destiny and the destiny of their workforce. They are more likely to react more quickly to market forces and create a competitive advantage for the organisation and the people they employ.
HR, normally charged with the responsibility of organisational learning have the opportunity to educate the organisations of the future of work and provoke forums and debates on how the organisation needs to adjust and evolve based on these predictions.
HR has an opportunity to influence the organisation to invest in predictive analytics to enable them to obtain and retain the best talent and effectively manage the productivity of a virtual and contract driven workforce.
A high tech workforce working remotely has not only technical opportunities and complications it also has human ones. Providing wise advice and policies will continue to ensure employee health and retention.
As the organisation morphs into the new world of work so will HR. I predict HR and the next generation of HR professionals will evolve into two predominate streams. One stream will be the wise advisor on all things to do with humans and their behaviour.
To all those Star Trek fans it will be a similar role to Deanna in Star Trek the next generation who was the ships counsellor. Her role was to look after the crew’s well-being and serving as trusted advisor to Captain Picard, with a position next to him on the bridge.
The skills required for this role will be designing and managing people in virtual organisations and understanding what impact these decisions will have on the human condition. As a consequence, provide the relevant policies and strategic advice to ensure a productive, healthy, educated and relevant workforce.
The second stream will be people capable of analysing big data to enable the organisation to make practical and logical decisions in relation to employees. Using the same Star Trek analogy, it will be similar to Spock, a highly skilled analysist, who used his analytical and data collection skills to help the captain make informed fast and nimble decisions to out flank the enemy; commonly known in the business world as the competitor.
Unless the robots take over the world, attracting retaining and managing highly capable motivated people across the globe will be essential. Developing, supporting and retaining exceptional strategic leadership capability, like that of captain Picard, who have the capacity to identify embrace and consolidate new frontiers faster and more efficiently will be critical. This will be HR’s primary role.
The Technology revolution is here. The future of work is uncharted though potentially highly predictive. A diverse, future orientated HR function, has a once in a lifetime opportunity to influence how work will be created in the future, particularly if they gain the relevant knowledge and retain the influence to do so.
