Thought Leadership in Action

Your human resources department is going to be busy in 2018, but busy doing what? Are you going to spend another year drafting policies and punishing rule-breakers? Or will 2018 be the year your HR department becomes a real force to be reckoned with in your organization?

It’s time for HR to tackle bigger issues than just payroll and compliance. Here are some suggestions on where to start.

Improving Safety

The safety of the workforce should always be a priority for everyone within an organization, but this responsibility most often falls directly to HR. It will be HR that will deal with worker’s comp claims, rising insurance rates and any Occupational Safety and Health Act violations that arise from unsafe practices, so it would benefit HR to spend more time on safety training in the future. “The role HR can play is to promote safety as a core value of the organization, providing incentives and recognition to teams and individuals for staying injury-free,” says Joe Stevens, president of Bridge Safety Consultants in Playa Del Rey, California.

When workers are encouraged to do their jobs in the safest manner possible and feel appreciated for doing so, they are more likely to act in a safe and honest manner, saving the company time and money. Morale and productivity also will improve, Stevens adds.

Leadership Development and Succession Planning

Leadership development and succession planning are core practices of a successful business. If only a few people possess most of the knowledge and leadership skills and responsibilities in your organization, your business is at risk. What if they quit? What if they become ill? What happens when it’s time for them to retire? A better plan is to continually be cross-training and developing new leaders to take on these roles.

“In order to deliver future leaders, HR needs to provide strategic plans for career tracking, training and mentorship, and garner senior-level commitment to developing high-potential employees. Investing in leadership development is quickly becoming more important as baby boomers retire and young people set into leadership roles,” says Lisa Brown Morton, president and CEO of Nonprofit HR, an HR firm that works exclusively with nonprofit organizations.

Strategic Planning

Another area Morton believes will be essential in 2015 is strategic planning — specifically, HR becoming more of a strategic partner in business. She believes this can happen through data collection and analysis. “The best way to showcase HR’s value is through tracking and analyzing metrics. Track your HR metrics, analyze the data and listen to how your organization can improve by making changes in certain areas. Positive changes made from data insights lead to a more efficient, positive and sustainable work environment for employees,” she says.

Talent Acquisition and Retention

Your company is only as good as its employees, and this will be especially true in 2015. A strengthening economy and an aging workforce will mean more job openings in 2015. This means applicants have more to choose from, and you’ll need to position your organization in such a way to attract and retain top talent.

“Your competition may be looking to poach your employees as their business grows, so it is more important than ever to be proactive,” says Jason Carney, HR director at WorkSmart Systems, a professional employer organization. “Ensuring your key performers are also engaged in the business is very important. Once you have identified your top performers, take steps to personalize your engagement with them. Some may want more flexibility, while others may want to be groomed for succession opportunities. When it comes to retention, employ a one-size-fits-one strategy."