Human resources is a dynamic department within the corporate organization. New trends and responsibilities are always emerging, and they require a company's internal team to adapt by developing new management strategies.
Some HR tasks demand more time and planning. Among the most prevalent factors are organizational restructuring, workforce planning and, recently, changes to the Affordable Care Act. Below is an examination of these three emerging trends and how they're affecting HR departments.
Organizational restructuring
According to the 2013 HR Trends Survey, organizational restructuring had the greatest impact over the last year. The study shows that 26 percent of HR respondents are now responsible for strategic restructuring. This is the fifth consecutive year that responses increased for this category, demonstrating that companies are tasking their internal departments with more responsibilities with each passing year.
HR Voice explains that the 26 percent response rate illustrates that enterprises understand that procedures need to be upgraded and streamlined to deal with challenges in the modern marketplace. HR departments are tasked with restructuring because they are advocates for both their companies and the employees. Representatives work closely with management and the staff, so these professionals are the ones who understand how a business' infrastructure can be upgraded without hurting productivity or workplace productivity.
Workforce planning
The same poll shows that 24 percent of HR departments have been put in charge of strategic workforce planning within the last year. The responsibility includes managing an aging staff and ensuring that resources are in place to attract, hire and train young workers as replacements.
Businesses need to have strategies for finding new employees to avoid diminished productivity after others resign. HR teams have to take an active role in shaping the organization's branding strategy to bolster recruitment and attract the strongest possible candidates.
The ACA
Finally, the ACA continues to be a major factor affecting HR departments across the United States, especially after the recent delay. While the postponement may ultimately lead to an improved version of the bill, it also has quite a bit of confusion for many enterprises. Unfortunately, it may be some time before HR representatives receive any clarity on the issue as government officials will be refining the ACA through the summer and into 2014. When new guidelines and requirements are released, departments will be able to adjust accordingly.
