7 ways HR will look different in 2022

As we step into 2022, the landscape of Human Resources is set to transform in unprecedented ways. Brace yourself for a journey into the future of HR, where we explore seven pivotal changes that are poised to redefine the industry.

The past two years have been a rollercoaster for HR.

Leading organizations through a once-in-a-generation pandemic, designing and modifying return-to-workplace plans, creating new “people ops in the cloud” remote models of working, and more

• HR and people functions have been elevated to a status they’ve long sought, leading to an 87% increase in demand
• On the other side, the emotional toll this centrality is taking has led to high levels of burnout, and experienced executives transitioning out of operator roles

The Great Reset

The great reset requires HR to examine our practices, shed the ones that no longer serve our companies and employees, and build anew for some of the new constructs of work detailed above.

• It requires a shift away from prescribed playbooks of HR programs and a willingness to pilot and adopt new practices.

Hybrid 2.0

As we move into 2022, companies that successfully navigate this new work landscape will be much more intentional about re-engineering their HR operating systems and structures to be more cloud-based

• The “meetings that should have been emails” cliché will actually lead to more emails
• We’ll use tools like Loom to send video messages that describe in 5 minutes what usually takes a 30-minute meeting

The Metaverse is Coming

Facebook changed their name to Meta, a nod to their plans to invest in expanding into the metaverse

• The barriers to entry continue to lower for VR/AR, opening up more use cases for HR and people operations
• Companies like Remote and Accenture are sending new hires Oculus VR headsets

Flexibility

HR used to follow a one-size-fits-all approach. Not anymore.

• Working through the pandemic reinforced the reality that different employees have different needs. Some are desperate to return to the office. Some will never return. Some want the power to choose when and where they work.

Web3 On Our Radar

The metaverse is often bundled with the nascent world of web3. Collectively, web3 includes a mix of technology, open standards, cryptocurrency, blockchain, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs), decentralized finance communities, and a new creator economy.

• In terms of HR implications, the shared ownership and transparency of DAOs could have broader implications including narrowing the pay gap.

Equity, Inclusion, and Access

HR still has a lot of work to do in uprooting the systems of inequity that permeate our companies-from pay equity to board representation

• The shift to remote and hybrid work is also impacting our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts
• As more companies embrace remote constructs, HR teams must be mindful and intentional about maintaining equity within these new distributed teams

Talent Mobility Continues

45% of full-time U.S. employees are working partly or fully remotely.

• The ease of virtual interviews and hiring will continue to fuel talent migration in 2022. To offset this, companies must double down on building great places to work-prioritizing career growth, flexibility, learning & development, and total rewards programs that attract and retain talent.

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