HR Trends 2017-2018

HR management – just like other fields – has its current trends and they are controlled by the labor market. Counselors, HR professionals and researchers evaluate importance of such trends differently. I would emphasize two elements, essential in my opinion:

Building employee experience aims at maintaining high-level engagement. In the widest interpretation of employers, it lasts from job advertisement (first contact) until leaving of the employee.

I point out two misbeliefs:

• Most managers’ approach is incorrect thinking that a ping-pong table or bean-bag and fitness room or free-of-charge coffee are sufficient making work an experience.
• Introduction of standards neglecting the own organizational structure and excluding needs of own employees.

Labor shortage

Company managers and HR staff members find shortage of professionals as an even growing problem. Talking to managers in any industry everywhere in the country, we can hear statements indicating problems caused by labor shortage. Labor shortage can be attributed to a large number of factors, among them the most crucial ones:

• a senescent age pyramid is characteristic not only of our continent but also Hungary;
• number of employees working abroad is on increase;
• training structures still cannot meet real needs of businesses;
• employees’ mobility in inland continues to be low as compared to the necessary real needs.

Depending on severity of problems, company managers handle labor shortage by different methods like:

• using a wider range of HR measures, e.g. there is a bigger focus on employer branding and greater attention is paid to well-being of employees, implementation of family-friendly workplaces and utilization of opportunities provided by a cafeteria system, etc.;
• recruiting workforce from neighboring countries;
• applying atypical employment forms in a widening spectrum.