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[BizTrends 2016] Guardians of the HR galaxy in 2016 and beyond!

CEOs globally and locally are admitting their talent strategy is out of sync and retaining top talent is becoming their no. 1 challenge in business. In 2016, it's all about reinvention! Nothing is like it was nor will it ever be.
[BizTrends 2016] Guardians of the HR galaxy in 2016 and beyond!
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Strictly speaking as millennials, we are becoming a wisdom-based workforce. It's not about what we know any longer, but what we do with what we know. Every part of management, capacity building, communication and recruiting has been radically changed by technology.

With generation Y and Z being as hyper-connected and enterprising as they are, a solution is offered in the form of thought leadership - it is the strategic buzzword for 2016 in terms of growth in corporations and among hungry entrepreneurs.

It's a wisdom based economy

Move past your job description in what is now a very crowded and noisy profession.

Don't play it safe, never be afraid, it's time to take a leap of faith. Have the tenacity to do things differently. Everyone is competing for mindshare and authority in their field.

Start on the inside - let it come from customers, brand managers, your design team, the sales force, client services or even the copywriters - we all have knowledge. But you need to inspire - full force ahead - and set your industry alight with new ideas and concepts. Focus on success. #WisdomPreneurs

HR teams must become more educated and professionally conversant in the digital world of business

Every area of our lives has undergone interesting developments and changes through these new technologies and ultimately, the new digital reality. As HR specialists we will play a strategic role in the digitalisation of our company, be it internal or external.

The goal will be about driving conversations and influencing our industry and its players. Enterprises can no longer dictate how they'll interact with people. In 2016 and beyond HR teams will have to put people first.

By using data, mobile and social channels when hiring, HR has the perfect opportunity to attract talent worldwide, as well as taking into account their ability, interest and skills. In using various technologies, deep conversations can be had with active and passive candidates irrespective of time zones or physical locations - or whether a new positions is available or not. Great for building your internal candidate talent pool.

Today's generation of new employees has grown up in this digital world, making them highly familiar with the ways this is shaping their lives. HR leaders will need to be top negotiators yet highly sensitive and compassionate in this ever-changing industry.

Represent an employer brand that shines - educate from the inside out

Knowledge sharing is power. Give ideas away for free, the positive impact this will have on your company's reputation will be worth it in the end! Most importantly, thought leadership it is about educating.

Management - you are your brand! People are either going to love you or hate you. It totally depends on... wait for it.... How you treat your employees.

Share what you're passionate about inside your business and that's what will lead to your success.

Create news instead of simply sharing it. Share the things that sets you apart from the competition. Develop a new methodology, cover new topics and trends - just try something new - become part of the conversation. Become an influencer. Most importantly, be human, be sensitive, transparent and authentic. Remember: leaders are seldom made, they are chosen. Inspire your team - always!

Talent retention

Talent acquisition should be about planning careers for individuals and not just filling roles. Different things motivate every employee, and retention strategies thus need to be tailored down to the individual level.

In his new book The Alliance, Reid Hoffman, chairman and founder of LinkedIn, writes that we have entered a world where workers are like professional athletes. They work for a company and contribute for a while, but when needs change, they move to another team, taking their skills and expertise with them.

Make sure when you hire key factors such as values, interests and personality traits of prospective hires are as compatible as possible with your company culture.

The average applicant spends two hours researching an organisation before applying online for a job there. They evaluate why people work there, read up on management, core values, etc. Companies must attract, retain and engage talent in order to be successful. Employee retention not only builds long-term success but also plays a significant role in a company's ability to hire and field the best possible team. There is nothing worse than your brand being tarnished by a poor management style or lack of communication. Sooner or later, talent will dwindle and your reputation will go up in smoke. People won't want to work for you.

The company's well-earned prestige, when reinforced by positive opinions from happy employees on the job and committed to their organisation, multiplies the effectiveness of the message the company transmits to its community of business partners, internal and external customers, existing staff and potential candidates. Organisations that have staff who are not inspired and motivated, won't have a competitive edge. And that means your HR strategy has gone up in smoke.

Workforce mobility

Workforce mobility truly has the power to contribute both to the business success of the organisation and to the career and personal development desires of the people in the organisation, with over 54 million employees worldwide working remotely.

The rapid shift in work habits shows employees are increasingly likely to work from outside the office and frequently use a number of mobile (and often personal) devices to complete business tasks.

Globally, iOS dominates the enterprise market and is the leading mobile platform in nearly every industry.

Thought leaders, applying workforce mobility is paving the way to successful and content employees. Not only does it have a positive impact on career progression, 45% of staff increase their workforce productivity by working off-site and streamline the business process.

Employers are spoilt for choice as workforce mobility has been a real game changer - not only allowing to expand HR talent pools globally but also the customer base, exposing them to target audiences never engaged before.

Future thought leaders should realise that brand affinity is more powerful than you could ever know. May the insight in some of the trends contained in this article lead you to start researching the habits of the next generation or implement change for the better to develop your company's brand. Start exceeding your own expectations but also that of your staff and clients.

About Yolanda Gibbon

Recruitment specialist, Yolanda Gibbon is the founder of Cardilogix and has 20 years experience servicing the advertising, marketing, branding and digital sector worldwide. She also heads up the company's financial services arm, supplying leading financial institutions with professional services staff such as CAs, tax specialists, financial advisory specialists, etc. Follow Cardilogix on Twitter @cardilogix
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