Focusing on the future: HR leaders explore what to expect

It’s early in the new year—a time when people often assess priorities and look at what to expect in the future. That goes for human resources thinkers, too. With all the change the workplace has seen over the past few years, it’s no wonder HR leaders are looking at trends and priorities with an especially careful eye. Flexible work, the role of technology, the economy, scarce talent, and the need for more diversity, equity, and inclusion top the list of focus areas, but HR leaders also are examining how their profession is changing and how they should meet new challenges.

Focus areas for 2023
To identify the top priorities for HR in 2023, research and consulting firm Gartner surveyed more than 800 HR leaders. The strategic initiatives HR leaders said they are prioritizing for 2023 are:

• Leader and manager effectiveness;
• Change management;
• Employee experience;
• Recruiting; and
• The future of work.

The Gartner research found leader and manager effectiveness to be a priority for 60% of HR leaders, but 24% said their leadership development approach isn’t preparing leaders for the future.

Organizational design and change management were priorities for 53% of HR leaders. The research also found that employees—who have been dealing with enormous change in recent years—are fatigued and resistant to more change. “HR leaders must help employees to navigate change and mitigate the impact that change may have on their work and, more importantly, their well-being,” the Gartner report says.