To take a look at how the role of HR in 2022 will look like, we will have to first understand what are some of the individual and business changes that took place due to the pandemic. When Covid-19 landed on our shores, the Singapore government was quick on its feet to implement necessary measures to curb the spread of the virus. Their quick thinking has saved many lives and resulted in Singapore having one of the lowest Covid-19 death rates globally.

However, this came at a cost. The government had to order a nationwide quarantine, throwing companies into a frenzy in an effort to digitalise processes and operations. What would usually require months to implement, had to be done in a matter of days. From the standpoint of an employee, this regulation was also disruptive and albeit many were keen to try out remote working, the extended period has made many weary and exhausted. This resulted in a rise of mental health issues, lowered productivity, decrease in motivation, and the breakdown of corporate culture.

This is where HR professionals have to pivot their focus and tackle these issues that are currently faced by employees. Before the pandemic, the focus of HR was to transform the way businesses operate by digitalising and leveraging technology to increase business as well as employee efficiency. However, in 2022, this focus will have to shift to help individuals and businesses adapt to current work arrangements.

Key things HR managers want to focus on

Here are the 3 key things that managers predict the HR trends for 2022 will be:

1. Retention of talents

2. Diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI)

3. Mental Health & Motivation

These are the 3 main areas that many HR managers have emphasised their focus on. The pandemic has also caused many individuals to lose their jobs, many also had to take salary cuts. Overall, the morale of any company would be adversely affected. Now that the economy is recovering, the availability of jobs is increasing and individuals are looking for greener pastures. The scramble to secure talent has never been fiercer following the forecasted great resignation in 2022.

Diversity, equality and inclusion, also known as DEI, has always been one of the main focuses for HR teams. With how teams are distributed now with new work arrangements, it is even more important for the HR department to emphasise and advocate for DEI.

There has also been an increase in employees suffering from mental health issues. A research conducted by the Institute of Mental Health Singapore indicated that there’s a likely increase in cases of depression, anxiety, and inviduals having suicidal thoughts. It is important to have individual conversations with employees to understand their troubles. The pandemic has affected everyone differently, individuals have struggles that may or may not apply to other employees. The HR department has to work closely with managers to find a compromise that works for everyone.

Now that the economy is recovering and businesses are getting back on their feet, vacancies are opening up again. With the help of grants from the Singapore government, companies are in a frenzy to hire again. The pandemic has also shifted the needs of current employees and with the extensive amount of opportunities out there, companies are also challenged to retain existing employees. This emphasises the previous point of understanding employees better. This way, companies know what they can do to alleviate any issues employees are facing.

To summarise, the HR of 2022 have to focus their efforts on understanding employees, build resilience, motivate, educate themselves on mental health issues, and ensure the company is aligned with DEI efforts. However, not many business have the necessary resources nor experience to implement these initiatives. Many are too focused on growing the business back again. The solution to this? Outsourcing your HR processes!

Human resources services in Singapore are increasing in demand as more businesses are busy focusing on core processes to establish a firm root post pandemic. At Talent Spot, our HR services are catered and customised based on your business needs. Our trained HR professionals are equipped with the knowledge and experience based on your business industry. Each of our consultants are industry experts in their own fields. Our business is also no stranger to remote working, with over 700 employees in the Asia Pacific region and with offices operating in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, and China.

Speak to your industry expert today, and let us help you grow your business together!