The workplace has undergone a massive transformation in the past two years. Every aspect of the organization, including employee onboarding and training, is carried out remotely.  

In the wake of the Great Resignation, HR managers are at a crossroads as they try to attract, retain, and engage employees. 

To stem the tide and turn the Great Resignation into a great opportunity, HR professionals need to use emerging HR trends such as digital transformation, employee wellbeing, people analytics, and workplace flexibility.

Here are some of the latest HR innovations that HR managers can use to improve employee engagement, retention, and productivity. 

1. Employee Engagement Tools

Employee engagement has emerged as the top priority for organization during the pandemic, where it has become a powerful tool to attract and retain talent. HR managers can use innovative employee engagement tools like team-building activities, pulse surveys, social recognition, and leaderboards.

Pulse surveys assist managers in identifying areas where employees are facing difficulties and making changes to boost employee engagement.

Social recognition allows employees to recognize and celebrate each other's successes. It can help build a sense of community and camaraderie in the workplace. Leaderboards can also help create a sense of competition and excitement among employees.

Employee engagement tools can be used separately or in combination to improve employee engagement. It is critical to select the tools that will work best for the organization and employees.

2. People Analytics & Automation

People analytics is the application of data science and machine learning to people-related problems in organizations. HR professionals can use data-driven insights to make better hiring decisions, streamline operations, and boost employee engagement.

Companies can use people analytics to automate various HR tasks. Automation can help to speed up processes, reduce errors, and improve consistency. HR professionals can automate onboarding, performance management, talent management, and more tasks.

HR managers can use people analytics and automation to boost employee productivity and make better management and engagement decisions. They can use people analytics and automation to create customized training programs for their employees that target the specific needs of each employee. It can help employees to improve their skills more quickly and effectively.

People analytics can also assist firms in identifying and resolving issues before they escalate. For instance, if a company notices that a particular type of employee is departing at a higher rate than others, they can look into it and take steps to remedy the issue.

3. Employee Development

A company's investment in its employees' personal development is a win-win scenario for everyone involved. Not only does the employee benefit from enhanced skills and knowledge, but the company also reaps the rewards of a more productive and engaged workforce.

Sponsoring employees' professional development can take many forms, such as sending employees to training courses or workshops, providing tuition reimbursement, or offering access to online learning resources. 

One benefit of sponsoring employee development is that it can help attract and retain talented employees. By providing access to training and education programs, a company shows its employees that it cares about their professional growth and is willing to invest in their future. 

Another benefit of investing in employee development is that it helps improve team cohesion and morale. Employees are more likely to be engaged and productive when they feel valued.

By providing development opportunities relevant to their job roles, a company can help its employees feel more connected to their work and increase their motivation to succeed.

4. Gamification 

Employees are often motivated to complete tasks when they have game-like challenges at work. HR managers can gamify HR processes to increase employee engagement. It could include offering awards or bonuses for completing work on time or outperforming others in a specific area.

By adding gaming elements to an HR process, employers can make it more fun and engaging while also helping them to learn new skills or improve their performance. Gamification in HR processes increases compliance, enhances productivity and efficiency, and increases employee satisfaction.

Gamification can be a powerful tool for improving employee engagement and satisfaction. By using game mechanics in an engaging and fun way, employers can help employees learn new skills, improve their performance, and feel more engaged in the process.

Gamification of HR processes can be a powerful way to engage employees and improve the overall effectiveness of the HR function. Organizations can create a pleasant and engaging work environment that stimulates employee collaboration and creativity by incorporating gaming ideas and mechanics into typical HR tasks and activities.

There are many ways to gamify HR processes. One approach is to turn traditional HR tasks into games. For example, HR managers can use scavenger hunts or puzzle games to turn mundane processes like onboarding new employees into fun. Other ways to gamify HR processes include awarding points for completing tasks, providing leaderboards to track employee progress, and offering prizes and incentives for outperforming others.

Gamification can also be used to improve communication and collaboration within the organization. For instance, team-building activities encourage employees to work together more effectively. By creating a fun and engaging work environment, gamification can help improve employee satisfaction and motivation, which leads to improved productivity and performance.

5. Safe Work Culture 

A psychologically safe workplace is essential for employee productivity and satisfaction. HRs need to create a culture where employees feel comfortable sharing their ideas, asking for help, and admitting mistakes. HR managers can achieve this through training, communication, and modeling appropriate behavior. Employees who feel safe in their workplace are more likely to take risks and contribute their best work.

Creating a psychologically safe workplace requires training for managers and employees alike. Managers need to be aware of the signs that someone may feel unsafe, and they need to know how to create a supportive environment. Employees also need to be taught how to give and receive feedback in a way that doesn't shut down discussion.

Communication is key to creating a psychologically safe workplace. HR should make sure that employees have multiple ways to communicate with one another, both formally and informally. It will help employees feel comfortable discussing sensitive topics and asking for help.

Finally, HR can model appropriate behavior for employees. By setting the tone from the top, HR can create a culture where employees feel safe taking risks and sharing their ideas. It will lead to a more productive, engaged, and satisfied workforce.

Conclusion

HR trends are rapidly changing, and HR managers need to stay on top of them to stay relevant. These trends highlight the significance of employee engagement in HR. Funtivity by Hermis can help HR managers keep their employees engaged and motivated during onboarding, training, and other HR activities.