Introduction
Managing Human Resources has been one of the most critical
functions in modern organisations. The ever evolving dynamics of a workplace
and the complexity of human relations has only made the role of an HR
professional critical for the success of an organisation. An HR professional is
the creator of various systems, processes, work relationships and ethics that
go a long way in harmonizing the implementation of business operations.
However, short sighted managers in organisations around the world have limited
the role of an HR professional to that of a mere medium of policy
communication. However, as the business, political and social world is
evolving, the role of an HR professional too, is changing at a mind boggling
pace.
The subject of this research paper is to study this change;
the challenges posed by the new workplace and the role of the HR professional
in the year 2020.
Sources and Methods of Data Collection
The researcher has utilised secondary data sources for
preparing this research report. The essay has benefitted from the works of
various eminent researchers as well as various academic literature. Also,
information from various articles and newsletters available on the world wide web
has been utilised.
Limitations
Although the researcher would have preferred collecting
primary data through surveys and interviewing professionals, the limitations of
space, time and resources, restrict undertaking such an endeavour.
Also, this essay provides a preview of the trends that are
likely to occur in the field of HR and its management, based on the analysis of
current global situation and business environment. It is difficult to provide
an accurate prediction of the future given the plethora of influencing factors
(certain immeasurable ones too) which cannot be determined at once.
Challenges of 2020
There are 3 major challenges which future HR professionals
are likely to counter:
1. Demographic- the current generation of baby boomers and
generation X is fast aging. This means that the current workforce will soon
retire in about a decade. The challenge at the hands of the new HR
professionals will be identifying, managaing and retaining talent. This will be
difficult since, due to the recently achieved economic freedom, the new
generation has more risk potency and a hunger to experiment, enabling them to
hop from one job or career option to another.
The HR professional must create a system to suit the
tastes/likes of such a workforce and to enable bringing out their best - in
order to retain people.
2. Technological- The last two decades have been dedicated
to technology. In these twenty years technology has grown at a behemoth scale.
It still continues to grow at a 'faster than thougt' speed. The future
workplace will essentially be a virtual one. This obviously means virtual
systems and virtual relations will be the norm. The task of the future HR
professional will be to operate in such cyber worlds with dexterity, in order
to operate efficiently and effectively. Technology on one hand, will simplify
functions by making procedures and database accessible at the click of a
button; on the other hand it will make things complex and difficult to guage by
reducing personal touch.
3. Future organisations- Businesses in 2020 are indeed going
to be complex structures - big in size with various intermingles relationships
running the show. However, it must be noted that future business scene is going
to be ruled by startups.
This mushrooming of startups will be attributed to the
increased risk potency, financial freedom and growth inclination of the
population.
Startups are exciting ventures which can be quite dynamic
and complex at times. These organisations will provide the HR professional with
a 360 degree exposure to all business functions; requiring such a professional
to be prepared to handle functions and challenges out of his/her field of
specialisation.
Strategic Role of the HR professional in future
organisations:
The 2020 HR professional will play a strategic role in the
following key business functions:
1. Planning process- Modern organisations with their ever
increasing complexities will require an inclusive environment. Planning
processes will no longer be the proprietary duty of general management; rather,
HR professionals will play a vital role in planning for business functions as
they will hold specialised knowledge of various virtual systems and relations
vital to maintain smooth operations. Also, modern HR professionals will be
required to be knowledgeable about functions apart from their field of
specialisation. This at times will be helpful in aiding HR personnel to plan
and make decisions when filling for various roles in a startup environment.
2. Strategic focus- in modern organisations, the role of the
HR professional will not be restricted to plain policy communication; rather,
an HR professional will be trusted to create systems in an organisation. The
strategic focus of the HR managers in 2020 will be on retaining the workforce. As
already stated the workforce of the future will have an increased risk potency
and will be entrepreneurial. Such a population with free will and lot of
options will be difficult to retain. Retention being the key to success for
maintaining and running the various systems. An HR professional who is
successful in building systems which attract quality talent and retains it too,
will put his/her organisation in a position of leadership vis-a-vis
competition.
3. Measurement- as organisations grow in a global environment,
it becomes crucial to be able to measure progress, in order to establish goals,
deadlines and timeframes.
Making progress (even in the field of HR) measurable with
certain set parameters will help in benchmarking successful organisations and
to enable adoption of methods leading to success. Also, enabling activity and
progress measurement will make processes transparent and instil greater trust
and confidence among stakeholders who may be spread across the globe and
connected through virtual systems.
KSAs which must be possessed by budding HR professionals:
1. Knowledge- HR professional in the year 2020 should be
'knowledgeable'. He/she msut make themselves comfortable with other business
functions apart from their own. By doing so they'd have exposure in all
business processes arming them to cope up with the pressures in a startup
(requiring a holistic contribution in all business functions by all
participants involved). Also being knowledgeable in general will enable HR
managers to create wider business functions and take up the role of planners
and decision makers in the future organisations operating globally.
2. Skills- The HR professional in the new workplace will
need some specific skills to cope up with the environment. Important among these
skilss will be a knowledge of technology. Dexterity in operating virtual
systems will be crucial in creating and managing such systems. Also, a
knowledge of various cultures and languages will be of key importance while
operating in a gloabl environment since, people from different backgrounds will
be interacting in such systems and environments.
3. Abilities- apart from the required knowledge and skills
the 2020 HR professional must also possess certain abilities in order to be
able to implement the knowledge and skills possessed. Firstly, the professional
must be willing to learn; since learning is an ongoing process, the manager
must be open to learning other disciplines apart from his own. Secondly, the
professional must be ready to adapt the changing structures and systems.
Lastly, the professional must embrace open communication, to enable the above
and promote collaboration - in order to bring together teams that would promote
organisational success.
Recommendation
Job description
The job of an HR professional in workplace 2020 will require
the manager to come out of the cocoon of a mere policy communicator and HR
maintenance incharge, and assume the role of a systems creator. The job will
entail the following responsibilities:
1. Create, manage and modify various virtual systems.
2. To plan and manage for other business functions.
3. To initiate and manage collaborations of various
departments and people of varying cultural and social backgrounds.
Person specification
Given the above mentioned job description it is recommended
that a person holding the position of an HR manager to be of a specific nature.
These specifications are undermentioned:
1. A person who embraces continual learning will find it
easy to adapt to the dynamic work culture of 2020.
2. The prospective HR personnel should promote open
communication to initiate shared learning and create sustained collaborations.
3. The person should be people oriented; fostering
committment based relationships which can be sustained for a long terms,
despite the dynamism of the workplace.
Conclusion
Summing up, this paper has been successful in making an
informed estimantion of the HR workplace 2020; given the various developments
and trends that have surfaced in the recent years.
The paper presents the challenges that a future HR
professional will face, and the knowledge, skill and abilities that will be
needed to fulfill the strategic role of the HR personnel in the organisation.
The essay concluded by providing a job description sketch
and makes recommendations about the requirements an applicant to the post of HR
personnel (in 2020) should meet in order to be successful in achieving the
goals of the organisation.
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