The role of HR in the workplace of the future

. 2 min read

By Arjun Sondhi The future of work is one of the most debated topics in today’s workplace, with conflicting opinions from a variety of industry experts debating which jobs/industries will be affected by the rise of AI and other technologies. As we see more technologies, automating roles within the workplace there will be an increased importance placed on HR in the success of a business. HR will need to develop the leaders of the workforce HR managers are tasked with developing employees and ensuring that every individual within the company is equipped to excel in the digital age. The traditional methods of developing employees are out-dated and often ineffective. In order to thrive in the future, HR needs to be developing new ways to develop employees. There are three essential skills HR need to develop for employees in the future: 1) Resilience Employees will have to be able to make big decisions on their own and embrace failure. Developing a resilient and independent mindset should be of great importance to HR managers. 2) Innovative In order to avoid falling behind, businesses are going to have to promote innovation within their company. Employees should have their finger on the pulse with the latest trends and insights. 3) Emotional intelligence The future of work will require more than analytical skills, such as soft skills like emotional intelligence and empathy. Understanding human behaviours and being ‘liked’ in the workplace will become increasingly valuable as more roles become automated. The changing face of HR… For many years, HR has been perceived as a passive, service-orientated function. However, as the demands of the future of the workforce change, the role of HR will become increasingly valuable. There is a high chance that the HR function will transform into a performance unit, where the head of the unit is an extremely powerful and influential figure within the organisation. HR professionals will become increasingly analytical and will monitor the performance of employees in the same way an elite sports coach will carefully monitor their athletes. Arjun Sondhi is Director of Digital/Brand at BMC Global Services