For many organizations, 2020 has proved to be a challenge. Businesses of all types have had to adapt quickly to survive. Some have thrived after meeting the challenge and adapting swiftly. Others, not so much.
So what lies ahead, and how can companies do better in 2021? According to HR Dive’s Aman Kidwai, recruiting, hiring, workforce planning, and maintaining workplace health and safety are among the top concerns for HR professionals in the coming year.
Citing a survey conducted by XpertHR last month, some 66% of HR professionals saw recruiting and hiring to be “somewhat” or “very challenging” in the future. Workforce planning came in a close second with 59% of respondents, and 55% felt that workplace safety and security was a chief concern.
According to a press release given by Andrew Hellwege, Surveys Editor, XpertHR,
“After COVID-19 rocked the economy in 2020, employers won’t want to miss out on any potential recovery in 2021,” Hellwege said, “especially if a vaccine is successful in containing the virus, and recruiting and hiring efforts will be key for attracting talent and ramping up operations.”
During the spring and summer of the past year, mass protests across the country brought attention to the need for more diversity and inclusion in the workplace and beyond. An estimated 52% of participants felt that communication, unconscious bias training, and an analysis of hiring and recruiting practices were all ways to address the issue.
“The message of this year’s protests against systemic racism is clear – that the status quo is unacceptable,” Hellwege said.
Another area of growth within organizations is the number of calls for gig or freelance workers. As we reported earlier, many researchers feel that companies will increasingly turn to contingency workers to meet their organization’s goals.