Teamphoria List of 2017 HR Trends: What You Need to Know to Beef Up Your Strategy

A key question the Teamphoria crew receives on a regular basis is ‘how do I create a killer HR strategy?’ Believe me when I say that staying ahead of the game when it comes to company culture, employee communication and all of the other time-intensive functions of human resources is not for the faint of heart. But fear not, we’re here to make life easier for you. Our team has pulled together a list of top HR trends that will set the bar for 2017 and beyond. Get ready to shake up the work place with even more emphasis on relationships, analytics, employee recognition, functional workspaces and – you guessed it – employee engagement!

1. Relationships are key – In 2017, businesses will continue placing more emphasis on the satisfaction and engagement of their employees. In order to decrease turnover and increase employee morale, businesses will need to bring employees “in on the conversation” by connecting them with each other through employee recognition, personalized announcements/celebration and building a stronger connection with management team members. One key aspect of strengthening these relationships is by implementing mentoring programs between management and employees, providing an opportunity to further invest in employee growth and bridge the gap between leadership and their teams. Not only will employees stick around, but they will also feel like an integral part of the company and see that they are valued and appreciated.

2. The proof is in the “analytics pudding” – Employers will begin placing more emphasis on measurable data and analytics to better understand employees. Through the utilization of HR software, employers and HR professionals are given the opportunity to evaluate various aspects of employee satisfaction, employee engagement, work progress, etc. By identifying key values that are important to an organization and then measuring employee feedback surrounding those, employers can get a baseline understanding of their employee’s experience and create goals to move toward achieving the company culture that they strive toward. When feedback is measurable, it also becomes easier to assess and track progress.

3. Feeling valued is…well, valuable – In addition to building relationships within a company’s culture, employee recognition is a crucial part of bringing employees into the conversation. When employees feel valued and celebrated for their efforts, this encourages them to do extraordinary work that may be outside of what is generally expected. By rewarding employees for their rock star level efforts, they feel appreciated, encouraged and inspired to do great work. This also creates an environment of celebration within the company, as fellow coworkers can submit nominations for awards and recognize their colleagues for a job well done.

4. Shaking up where employees work – As millennials are now taking on managerial roles in the workplace, trends in working remotely are continually rising. Whether it’s working from the comforts of home to “step away and get focused,” or working on-the-go, many businesses are jumping on the bandwagon of allowing employees to work remotely as it becomes more and more common in today’s work environment. With the use of HR software and the latest technology, working remotely also doesn’t have to mean being “disconnected” from the workplace. Employees can work thousands of miles away and still keep constant contact with colleagues thanks to the wonders of high-speed internet. Some of the top reasons workers wish to work from home include maintaining a positive work-life balance, caring for family and alleviating commute stress.

5. More emphasis on office design – Creating a workspace with an open, collaborative atmosphere is becoming top-of-mind, especially for creative workplaces and those hiring mainly millennial talent. More business owners are approaching minimalistic ways in designing their workplace to look decluttered and organized. This approach gives a distraction-free environment and helps employees to work more productively. Multi-purpose workspaces use flexible, movable furniture, which allows a small team to work together on a project and can also be used for larger group meetings.

Overwhelmed? Don’t be. Our industry experts here at Teamphoria are ready to help guide your business into its best year yet – from strategic HR advice to backend employee engagement analysis, we’ve got you covered. Stay up-to-date on all things Teamphoria by liking us on Facebook and following us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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