Chief Human Resources Officer at Current Lighting

Courtney Abraham

Major Challenges and Trends Impacting the HR Industry

The people and HR field continue to adapt and strategize on different ways we can positively impact our functions and businesses.  We've experienced wars for talent who can work from anywhere to select specialties, receiving outsized increases to stay.  Recently, a high number of employees have been laid off from their companies, which is unfortunate for these employees but creates opportunities for organizations to engage with experienced candidates.  The world has also shifted its appreciation and acceptance of those who have been made redundant.  LinkedIn and other social sites are inundated with ‘I’ve lost my job – please share my resume’ and also with managers and others not just giving a reference on LinkedIn but posting their recommendation on behalf of these candidates.  We have interviewed some great candidates who have been referred in this new way.  

We continue to move in the right direction with candidate re-engagement and stability from what can only be explained as misguided ghosting moments; however, the HR industry continues to be challenged with inflationary pressures and increased benefits focused on mental health, menopause, and fertility.  Relocations are back on the rise, offices, and leadership are expecting employees back onsite 3-5 days per week, and just yesterday, I received a chatGPT crafted cover letter and excellent chatGPT responses to behavior-based interview questions.

Major Predicaments in the HR Industry

Development remains key.  There will always be individuals who are on accelerated career paths and those who remain challenged with their day-to-day activities and are satisfied in their present roles.  As organizations continue to transform the way in which we work together, the 'how' matters even more.  Collaboration, cooperation, creativity, and emotional intelligence are key areas we must invest in to develop and retain our employees.

" As organizations continue to transform the way in which we work together, the ‘how’ matters even more "

Return to office remains challenging.  While the pandemic accelerated our ability to work remotely without negative performance results, the intangibles were lost.  Getting to know people through hallway conversations, quick lunch trips, and personal connections were missing.  While many are back to the office 3 -4 days per week, many have forgotten that five days once upon a time was the norm with an occasional remote work day.  What we took as privileges before are now expected.  However, many roles and teams will never be able to work remotely due to business needs and demands of the job.

Exciting Upcoming Technological Trends

Many of the key features in chatGPT and AI enhancements make the world of HR better.  They replace repetitive operational tasks and allow HR team members to tackle something new and work at a more strategic level.  These features will help our response times and enable greater self-service.