Lisa Shuster, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is the Chief People Officer for iHire, an industry-specific recruitment platform.
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With a new year on the horizon, the labor market teeters on uncertainty. Hiring has cooled off a bit, but many of the same challenges remain for HR leaders: attracting qualified job candidates, retaining top talent, building a stellar employer brand and finding enough time in the day to accomplish all of the above.
Although you can’t predict what 2024 will bring, you can create tangible goals to address these perennial HR issues and set yourself up for success. I suggest you start by making these four New Year’s resolutions.
1. Get aboard the AI train.
While 72% of U.S. CEOs say AI is a top investment priority, only around 5% of employers currently use these tools to recruit more efficiently. When most HR functions are short-staffed and overworked, why not kick off the new year by embracing generative AI to maximize resources and allow you to focus on more strategic projects?
Some of the most impactful HR use cases for AI include developing job descriptions, screening résumés, crafting candidate communications and scoring assessments. AI-based technology can also simplify onboarding, create personalized career development paths and more. If you don’t know where to begin, experiment with a generative AI tool like ChatGPT. Ask it to write a job ad or create a list of behavioral interview questions for your next hiring initiative.
Still, beware of AI’s limitations, like bias. For example, AI-based video interviewing tools may rate candidates on their facial expressions and vocal intonations, but if the interviewee has a speech or visual impediment, you might unintentionally filter out qualified individuals with disabilities. As you explore AI in 2024, keep an eye on legislation. We’ll likely see more anti-bias AI laws like NYC Local Law 144 across cities and states, especially given the White House's Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of AI.
2. Focus on upskilling and reskilling.
Growing your organization doesn’t necessarily mean expanding headcount. In 2024, take strides to upskill and reskill your existing staff. This can help you reduce the need for costly hiring; simplify succession planning; and improve retention, job satisfaction and performance by investing in your associates’ growth and development.
Upskilling and reskilling can involve cross-training employees, providing opportunities to collaborate with different departments, offering formal or informal mentorships, and familiarizing teams with new tools and technologies. However, upskilling and reskilling aren’t one-and-done initiatives. You may see excellent engagement during a training session, but afterward, it’s back to business for employees. Therefore, managers must act like coaches to give workers feedback on their progress, guide them and help them apply their learnings to their job.
If you’re not sold on the importance of upskilling, consider that the World Economic Forum's 2023 Future of Jobs report found that half of all employees will need reskilling by 2025 to keep up with evolving technologies. Although we don’t know what the technologies or jobs of tomorrow will involve, we can equip our talent with skills needed to excel in the future, like critical thinking, emotional intelligence, resilience and versatility.
3. Bolster the employee experience.
Toxic or negative work environments drove more people to quit their jobs in 2023 than unsatisfactory pay. So before you resolve to give raises in 2024, remember that compensation is a basic need, but it doesn’t motivate behavior. When someone receives a raise or a bonus, the initial excitement fades once they adjust to the new norm. Thus, employees will look to their day-to-day experiences to find satisfaction in their work.
We’re also seeing declining levels of trust in the workplace, as evidenced by the surge in strikes, walkouts and union activity in the past year. This further suggests that fostering an exceptional employee experience should be a priority in 2024. Some strategies include permitting greater flexibility for a stronger work/life integration, giving meaningful recognition, providing plentiful professional development opportunities and offering benefits that boost one’s well-being.
At the same time, be mindful of the worker behavior you’re tolerating and rewarding. Often, it’s a toxic colleague or manager who hurts the employee experience and leads to higher turnover rates. Don’t be afraid to terminate toxic rockstars because keeping them can do more harm than good. Remember, smart businesses are intentional about shaping their cultures and, sometimes, that means making hard talent decisions.
4. Collaborate with marketing and PR.
Marketers and recruiters aren't too different. The former are proficient at promoting products and services, and the latter are pros at selling a company as a good place to work. So why not collaborate to enhance recruitment, retention and the overall employee experience?
Make 2024 the year that HR, marketing and PR join forces. Whether you work with an in-house team or outsource your needs, marketers can help grow your employer brand. Efforts may include gathering and sharing employee testimonials and reviews, announcing company news and milestones to generate media coverage and applying for awards that recognize top workplaces (and promoting those wins).
Marketing and PR can also provide value in the age of workplace transparency, when everything from pay scales to hiring practices is shared publicly. Have your marketing team tap in to respond to good and bad comments, resolve complaints and offer explanations with a personalized touch. If you haven’t done so recently, Google your company’s name. Do you see a slew of negative reviews from current or former employees? Is there a lack of information that accurately conveys your employer brand? Begin addressing those issues and filling gaps with your marketing and PR team’s expertise.
No matter what the employment landscape has in store for HR in 2024, these four resolutions will make you, your people and your business more agile, competitive and resilient. Happy New Year!
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