Feedback, engagement, culture, development and branding make a difference
Change is the one constant HR professionals can count on. Recruiting and retaining talent that can take a company to the next level is easier said than done in a world where industries are always evolving, and businesses never stop pivoting.
For HR professionals, success has become a moving target. To keep an organization out in front of the pack in the year ahead, HR may want to consider turning these five emerging trends into best practices:
Focus on the people, not the assessment
While many companies have discussed putting an end to performance reviews in recent years, that trend may reverse itself in 2017. Millennials actually want more feedback, so many businesses are turning the traditional performance review upside down to provide younger employees with the real-time feedback they demand.
To drive performance and individual growth, employees need customized learning and development plans. These plans then need to be used to uncover practical opportunities that can produce real results inside an organization.
Rather than conduct annual performance reviews — which are known to cause tears, according to a 2017 survey of 15,000 U.S. employees by Adobe — it’s about concentrating on a more consistent, more practical feedback cycle to recognize contributions and identify learning and development opportunities.
Engage employees as individuals
Employers should also focus on providing more individualized engagement options when discussing benefits, career paths, learning or life experiences, and choice in projects. In 2016, the spotlight was on engaging millennials, but more companies are now recognizing employees need to be engaged on a personal basis, regardless of the generation they belong to.
People work in all kinds of different ways, and there is no magic bullet when it comes to unlocking productivity. By recognizing and meeting the individual needs of employees, an employer will optimize the performance of its collective workforce, building a healthier culture instrumental in retaining key talent.
Put culture before perks
When it comes to offering the coolest company perks, the high-tech sector is in a bit of an arms race. Whether it’s investing in game rooms, free meals, gym memberships or unlimited days off, companies in that sector have devoted serious resources to transforming their offices into corporate playhouses to attract top talent.
While extras are nice, offering employees the chance to do meaningful, challenging work is what truly attracts and retains difference-makers. To develop a healthy corporate culture, HR needs to encourage and reward thought leadership, true collaboration, learning and mentorship.
Promote the talent that rises to the top
While promoting by merit is not a new concept, to drive growth in 2017, companies are beginning to embrace a true meritocracy. High-achieving talent rises to the top far more quickly than one might expect. Smart leaders recognize that the best employees learn and grow quickly, and their skill sets or calibre is not determined by their years of service.
Simply put, an employer needs to promote — and provide increasing responsibilities to — exceptional individuals, or risk losing them to a competitor; this is another example of how establishing a more personal, consistent feedback cycle can help.
By communicating expectations to employees in a clear manner, laying out the potential rewards that come with delivering results and following through on recognition in a timely manner, it is far less likely these promotions will take staff by surprise.
Listen to employee feedback, then act on it
In recent years, external review platforms and forums such as Glassdoor have given people a window into the inner workings of almost any organization. A business is now an open book to potential employees. In this age of open information, companies can no longer afford to let pain points go untreated.
Strategic, internal surveys identifying any possible issues are great gauges of an organizational climate. It is important for leaders to be timely in responding to negative feedback, in particular, in order to invalidate it or to prompt change.
By being both authentic and accountable, an employer will earn the trust of employees, increase engagement, and build a strong employer brand, inside and out.
Sandra Kim is director of human resources at TradeRev’s Toronto office. For more information, visit www.traderev.com.
