New Year HR Resolutions for 2021


Covid-19 has changed the world we live in, at least for this year. All the spheres of human activity were affected, and we believe this is a long-term effect. While you struggle to get used to new work mode, employers, managers, and HR teams work on new approaches and hints to make your work life and environment better. Developing adaptability, cultivation of culture and diversity, reskilling and a brand new approach to employees are just a few of those actions that are expected to improve the employees work life in 2021.

As we countdown to 2021, hoping it will be less stressful and more about positive changes, it’s high time for HR teams to make plans and set goals for the upcoming year.

As 2020 was a challenging and insane year that changed the way we live and work, 2021 may be time to rethink and draw conclusions. You can’t help but wonder what improvements can you expect in the next yearOpens in a new tab.? What work-related changes are we going to face in 2021?

Undoubtedly, there are numerous challenges ahead. Here are 8 resolutions for HR teams in 2021 to approach their main tasks efficiently and successfully.

1. Develop adaptability

At the beginning of 2020, LinkedIn has conducted its almost traditional researchOpens in a new tab. and made predictions on those skills to be in top demand. Adaptability was ranked number 4 in the LinkedIn list. However, 2020 brought adaptability to the top of the most in-demand skills.

In 2021, companies should look for resilient candidates ready to work under pressure and capable of adaptability to maintain profitability. Thus, from now, HR teams will rely on the top interview questions disclosing adaptability and the capability to acclimate to ever-changing circumstances.

2. Work on cost optimization

There is no doubt that Covid-19 has brought economic instability into our lives. Numerous businesses faced the need to cut on their costs and fire some portion of their employees. Moreover, companies all over the world now have to reconsider their hiring and management approaches and practices.

To maintain profitability and continue providing workplaces to people, companies should move towards more flexible hiring and workforce managing. According to o current statistics, numerous organizations have already started this process by growing the number of contract workers they hire, with 32% replacing full-time employees.

For HR departments, 2021 will give additional thought, resources, and efforts to attract freelance employees.

3. Cultivate culture, wellbeing, and diversity

While 2020 caused a massive shift in the way people work and businesses operate, it has also changed the position of the HR departments in the cultivation of culture, wellbeing, and diversity.

While everyone around worries about health, mental state, wellbeing, financial risks, and dealing with all the other stressing factors, HR teams are to keep calm and think of what is to be communicated to the employees by the employers.  Being at the front line of this crisis, HR teams have to develop relevant strategies for the continuous building of company culture.

Crafting these long-term strategies, the HR departments have to think about providing the employees with mental help resources, think about employees’ wellbeing, and still work on workforce diversity.

4. Drop performance review

Back in 2015, Deloitte and Accenture both announced dropping traditional performance reviews forever. Hated both by the employees and the business managers, annuals performance reviews moved forward to extinction.

In 2020, when everything went wrong, performance reviews entirely discredited themselves. Just imagine an employee trying to compile a performance report according to the goals and tasks set last year – a miserable situation. At the end of 2020, with no exact date for the pandemics ending, a performance review in any company is more like torture.

Thus, traditional performance reviews will not make it through this stressful period.  

5. Treat staff like customers

Many companies invest in improving their customers’ experience, making it a top priority, and the only way to gain success. However, the majority of them forget that the employees are their most loyal customers and brand ambassadors. If your employees do not believe in your business, no one will.

Thus, it may turn out rather beneficial to that customer experience thinking to your staff as well. Here we come to one more important task for an HR team in 2021. To find the sore point for further improvement, ask yourself simple questions like:

• Is your onboarding process tech-savvy, innovative, and professional?
• How user-friendly is your intranet or operating systems?
• How long does it take to complete a procurement process?

6. Understand your young generation

As time flows by fast,  the growing number of employed millennials and Generation Z will eventually result in the rise of a younger workforce. As millennials have entered the workforce over the last twenty years now, they are making their way to managing positions, firmly stating their views on work process organization and life in general.

For instance, the younger generations prioritize work-life balance. Thus, the preference for flexible schedules and remote work options becomes an obvious solution. Besides, Millennials and Generation Z employees stress the importance of collaboration and feedback. These people now make the most significant portion of acting employees. Therefore reaching an understanding with them is a top priority for 2021.

7. Embrace the gig economy

In the past, experts predictedOpens in a new tab. that 40% of Americans would be independent contractors by 2020. Covid-19 ended up with traditional employment. 2021 is a point of no return. Here comes the time for the gig economy to flourish.

To cope with this tremendous shift, HR teams will face the need to find new ways to make their offers look relevant and attract contractors. Recent technological advancements, networking popularity, blockchain, cryptocurrency, and the need for a flexible work process are just a few of the influential factors supporting this trend further.

8. Focus on reskilling

The present situation indicates the rising importance of reskilling. In 2021, instead of searching for new talents, HR teams will focus on reskilling and upskilling their workforce to fill their organizations’ needs for innovation and meet corporate goals.

To address the present employees’ insufficient competencies, grow the potential, and provide the employees with a vital opportunity to grow and learn, HR teams will work on identifying skill gapsOpens in a new tab. and assessing employees.

New Year HR Takeaway

The upcoming year will shift HR in a new direction of activity. This will make HR professionals find new methodologies and approaches to maintain their companies’ efficiency and productivity.

While numerous operations will get optimized and digitalized, HR professionals will enter a new role of a reliable business adviser and a strategic guarantee of a healthy and efficient working environment. Further reading about best practices for remote teams in this articleOpens in a new tab..

Related Questions

1. Will reliance on data-driven insights continue to grow?

The human resources field can not stay apart from the widespread adoption of analytics and data-driven insights. In today’s world, analytics helps to guide talent, management, and hiring decisions for organizations. It has already resulted in the coining of a new notion of “people analytics”: the intensive use of data to make decisions that affect people at work. We believe this is just the beginning.

2. What top most in-demand skills employers will look for in 2021?

The answer to this question may vary depending on the sphere and type of enterprise. Thus, there is no obvious point in making predictions about hard skills. However, the essential soft skills usually appear to be the same for different jobs. Having analyzed the previous year’s experience and all the novelties it has brought, we came up with the following top in-demand skills for 2021: 1) Adaptability 2) Emotional Intelligence 3) Focus.

Steve Todd

Steve Todd, founder of Open Sourced Workplace and is a recognized thought leader in workplace strategy and the future of work. With a passion for work from anywhere, Steve has successfully implemented transformative strategies that enhance productivity and employee satisfaction. Through Open Sourced Workplace, he fosters collaboration among HR, facilities management, technology, and real estate professionals, providing valuable insights and resources. As a speaker and contributor to various publications, Steve remains dedicated to staying at the forefront of workplace innovation, helping organizations thrive in today's dynamic work environment.

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