2024’s great expectations for HR | 2-minute video

Everyone has great expectations for a new year. But what about professionally? Can HR pros expect great things in their field?

Our cast of experts say, “Yes, there are good things ahead for HR pros.” But new expectations mean change — and that’s an underlying theme in all of the predictions for 2024.

Most organizations aren’t great at change management, according to Gartner researchers. And HR pros in that study call “change management” one of their top five priorities this year.

That’s understandable, considering all the change that’s likely ahead after the Covid years of volatility and recovery. Now, organizations are poised to move forward, making changes to everything from how they manage the business to how they manage the personnel.

Manage great expectations

In this episode of HRMorning’s 3 Point, we have experts who draw on many years of experience to give us insight on HR’s great expectations for 2024. Even better, we’ve included research-proven ways to manage change, whether it’s from a trend or an internal edict.

Click, watch and listen for more details on what to expect and how to manage it.

Transcript (edited for clarity):

What can HR professionals expect in 2024? We don’t have a crystal ball, but we do have some predictions.

Just remember this about predictions: They aren’t science. So this is one episode in HRMorning’s 3 Point that we won’t throw research at you.

Instead, we’ll give you insight on what might shape HR this year – and as always, we have tips on how you can manage those changes.

Let’s take a closer look and listen.

Burch: The way that business is changing and technology is shifting and the AI and the chat and all these amazing things that are happening. I think we are looking at ways we expand, culturally within our organization. I think we expand our minds, and we expand our business.

Lawless: I hope that it’s a great connection, that it swings back in the other direction and people realize that we don’t just have to live our lives through a technology platform. The most valuable and fulfilling parts of life exists in connecting with other humans.

Lemen: Job design, to me, is the next greatest thing. And companies really need to look at how jobs are designed, what skills are needed, and what do you really need knowledge-wise to do the job. Because — guess what? — in two seconds you can have somebody else give you all the information on it. Do you really need to have 10 year of experience at this point? All of those things have HR implications — description, design, how work is organized, pay, training and the whole hiring process.

As you’ve heard, this year, you’ll likely need to find a balance between new technologies – namely AI – and the need for human connection in your processes.

To manage changes, a LinkedIn report suggests you:

• Scan the environment. What we report here is just a start. Talk with employees, vendors and fellow HR pros to get a feel for what will be important in your organization.
• Analyze the impact. Just because it’s a trend, doesn’t mean it will impact you – or that you’ll need to adjust. Consider how trends align or conflict with your company’s goals and values.
• Evaluate your options. If you’re going to respond to a trend – essentially, make changes – pull together at least two options on what to do. Consider the benefits, costs, risks, and trade-offs for each.

From there, work with a team to formulate and execute a strategy. But move quickly, as this year’s trends – like all others – will happen fast.