What are your human resources looking for in 2023?

A new report from a global survey of leaders has the answers

We could describe 2022, from a human resources perspective, as the year of the great resignation. Other trends included the push to hybrid work and employee wellbeing moving from an add-on to an expectation. So, what will be priorities in 2023?

The year will look much the same as 2022. Recruitment and retention will continue to be key. Influencing these challenges? The continual shift of employee expectations towards flexibility in working hours and locations, making it increasingly necessary for organisations to re-think traditional views of work. And employee wellbeing: this is more important than ever, with workforce fatigue still a factor.

Gartner has published a report based on a survey of more than 800 leaders to identify human resources priorities in 2023. As a summary, the priorities are:

1. Leader and manager effectiveness. With retention increasingly important, leaders should build commitment and demonstrate authenticity and adaptability.
2. Organisational design and change. Organisations are struggling with the fallout from years of navigating uncertainty. The focus now should be on navigating change well and minimising the disruption to work and wellbeing.
3. Employee experience. Hybrid work has made a big impact on traditional career paths. Organisations that don’t focus on identifying ways to create perceived and real career opportunities will continue to struggle with retention.
4. Recruiting. One-third of human resources leaders believe their current recruiting strategies are insufficient. The competition for talent is strong. Organisations should focus on their internal labour market and on creating an onboarding experience that feeds into employee engagement.
5. Future of work. In short: workforce planning. This is far more than simply tracking head count needs. This is a strategic tool for informing your recruitment and development initiatives.

Challenges are, of course, opportunities—opportunities to rethink the way we’ve always done it, to grow capabilities in new areas, and to enjoy learning something new in the process. Bring on 2023.