Frequently, the question is being asked as to, will there even be a workplace in the future or will it all be virtual? Smriti Singh, CHRO, Sony Pictures, sheds light on this topic by saying, “Yes, workplaces are always going to be there and they are going to be multi-generational.” That said, a workplace like that will also need an HR department that is ready to handle this change. 

Today's employees are not just working for a paycheck, but instead, are trying to find a sense of purpose in everything they do. Greater work-life integration is happening and the aim is towards maximizing productivity and speed. With so many companies on the rise, workplace culture will be an essential differentiator. So what HR skillsets are required to design these workplaces?

"I’ve seen environments where people are so engaged in the product and with one another, that they really feel like they’re part of something bigger and important.” Carly Guthrie, HR, Per Se 

These are 10 skillsets which would enable HR to cope up with future changes. 

• Develop comfort and personal ability to navigate the environment

We need to assess ourselves for preferences and biases and make sure we improvise on those traits. Change is necessary and bound to happen to improvise the workforce and better the organizational structure. It is essential to be open to new changes in a workplace and try and make the changes work for your benefit.

• Hire and empower a diverse HR team, reflecting sensibilities of the workplace

It is essential to have a workplace with cultural diversity and a sense of responsibility to incorporate the same behaviour in others. The employer must lead by setting an example and create a role model that can be looked up to for help.

• Develop the organizational courage to take chances on people and jobs 

Humans are judgmental creatures and we judge everybody by their body language. However, we cannot judge a person's capability until they are given a chance to get trained and understand the concept. We need to refine people and make sure we create the right people for the job to obtain more productivity as well as job satisfaction.

“An organization has to make sure that the time spent in any activity is productive and profitable for both the employee as well as the company. It is necessary to have people who are well experienced and can help other people to achieve their paths.” 

• Focus on employee experience.

Gone are the days when people were happily retired at the age of 75 and then reaped the benefits of their hard work. ‘Carpe Diem’ is taken very seriously, and employees are now looking at what you’re offering today, not years later, because nobody retires from the same company anymore. So, the HR needs to decide between retirement benefit vs. gym allowance.

• Evaluate time spent by the function

An organization has to make sure that the time spent in any activity is productive and profitable for both the employee as well as the company. It is necessary to have people who are well experienced and can help other people to achieve their paths. We need to have a transactional facilitator who can silently lead people to achieve their goals and be independent, rather than following the same pattern and work as their mentors with co-dependency.

• Understand and adapt to impact on workforce planning

As pointed out by the Freelance Union data, the global market for freelancers is more than $1.5 trillion, of which India’s independent workforce at 15 million in number. With so many people moving towards freelancing, it is vital for the HR to understand the Gig economy and prevalence of freelance experts vs. permanent workforce.  

• Adapt the internal communication programs to the ‘twitter’ generation

This generation is all about speed and convenience. It’s not just the millennials, but everybody today is habituated to find things at a click of a mouse. If today you are asking people to use paper sheets for feedback or stand in long queues for reimbursements, it’s time to revamp your processes. Move towards short format and quick access to relevant information. 

• Influence the perception of your employer brand

Today with great powers of the Internet, everyone has the mindset of ‘I can make a difference.’ “I’ve seen environments where people are so engaged in the product and with one another that they really do feel like they’re part of something bigger and important,” says Carly Guthrie, HR for Per Se. 

• Envision the HR brand in 2022 

It is essential to have a vision of progress to succeed. HR department forms the core of any organization and must have better progress/envision to enable smoother functioning of organizations. We need to use technology to our benefits and improvise the work culture for better future.

• Develop learning agility within the function

One always has to strive to be ahead in their field of expertise and to do that, knowledge of the market, demands and requirement are very necessary. We must be prepared for changes before they are put into action. This will enable us to adapt to the new environment better and will ensure positive feedback from our peers.

We must take clear, organized steps to develop our work environment and should have a vision of what and how we would prefer our jobs to be. HR department forms the base of any company and hence, should have better access to technology and create a workforce which is diverse, precise and unbiased.

Smriti Singh was speaking during her opening keynote, “Dimensions of Work+2022" at the People Matters & Zeta roundtable.