Six HR trends for 2014

With 2013 winding down, HR professionals and business leaders alike are turning their attention to the trials, opportunities and trends that the new year will bring.

“There are six key HR developments that will be crucial to growth and continued success,” Karen Cariss, global CEO of PageUp People, explained. “These trends need to be front-and-centre on the global executive agenda when planning for next year.”

The six key developments, as highlighted by Cariss, are:

Talent intelligence

With organisations gaining ground on their understanding of big data, the importance of HR-themed analytics will become more crucial in 2014. The uses of these analytics will range from developing people strategies to exploring ‘what if’ scenarios.

Involvement of the C-suite

Not only is HR expected to enter the C-suite, but a further emphasis on the workforce’s presence there is also expected. “The complexities and challenges created by the global economic landscape require leadership teams to continually re-evaluate their organisation’s strategies. Doing so enables organisations to determine how workforce assets can be fully leveraged,” Cariss said.

How mobile has changed HR

Mobile applications are expected to play a more crucial role in 2014. Mobile career sites and applications will be leveraged by organisations to reduce time and cost-to-hire in an attempt to combat the widening gap between skills availability and business requirements.

Invest for success

New solutions to technology investments that offer deeper functionality will be delivered via a software-as-a-service (SAAS) model. These tools will be used for functions such as candidate relationship management and career path planning.

Borderless talent management

‘Globalisation’ is a term that was thrown around in 2013, with its true colours set to be revealed in the New Year. As organisations and workforces become borderless, the ability to manage globally and execute locally is becoming increasingly important. The ability to respect and reward cultural nuances and expectations must be coupled with a talent management solution that supports compliance and enterprise visibility for organisations to remain relevant in 2014.

Social is here to stay

Social media has become an important utility for recruitment. The usage of LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms for recruitment is set to intensify in 2014, with organisations seeking to keep track of both alumni and new talent pools. The use of social tools for L&D functions will also come to fruition in 2014.