5 Underrated Skills That Will Take You To The Top In Human Resources
It’s no mystery that with the new era of workers, human resources is challenged with redefining their skillset. The new generation of workers is transforming the workforce forcing businesses to create new strategies creating a more personalized connection between employers and employees and a more automated approach to the routine tasks.
Here are the five underrated skills human resource professionals should be tapping into to create more engaging candidate and employee experiences
The Art of Authentic Storytelling
Communication is an invaluable skill that will remain a priority across every generation in the workplace regardless of industry, culture or mentality. Storytelling not only drives new talent to businesses but it also connects current employees to the brand. HR will need to tap into their ability to articulate the value of the company to candidates, reinforce it for employees and promote it for the community.
It’s up to HR to capture the attention of top talent by creating a more personalized experience for candidates and employees. They play an integral role in the company as they are typically the first point of contact in business.
As businesses prioritize social responsibility, HR is becoming increasingly more active in the community. This requires them to connect with various audiences and actively promote the company in a compelling way that gives the brand a lasting impression. The goal is to help candidates visualize what their experience would be like should they join the company.
Storytelling is no longer limited to marketing and prospecting clients and candidates. Today, it’s used internally to communicate change, share the vision, mission and culture, improve training and development programs, coaching and leadership communication. When current employees clearly understand the brand story, they’re able to effectively communicate it to others externally increasing brand awareness.
The Know-How of Tapping into Creativity
It’s no surprise a major shift in the workplace is happening as the new generations take over. According to Pew Research Center, millennials are currently the largest generation in the workforce. As the baby boomers make their exit, so do old workplace traditions.
In order to adapt to this monumental shift, businesses are forced to rethink their perks and benefits strategy transitioning from minimum health care benefits to providing incentives that engage their teams. Statistics released by Officevibe show only 12% of employees leave their jobs for more money while it was due to benefits, culture and growth.
The perks that are winning over the new generation are centered around community, pampering, development, convenience and culture. Traditional perks and benefits no longer appeal to today’s employees. HR is now tapping into the startup mentality of providing a fun and interactive workplace that encourages health, wellness and a commitment to development.
The Ability to Effectively Coach Employees A Foolproof Formula for Creating a Diversity and Inclusion Centered Workplace
Employees want to work for companies that are invested in the continuous development of their people. Often overlooked, employees are the backbone of the company. Companies that embody a coaching culture empower their employees to innovate and grow into leaders.
Coaching in business often has a negative connotation attached to it, but the true purpose of coaching is developing people to their full potential. According to Harvard Business Review, the new generation of workers crave feedback from their manager on a monthly basis more than 50% of other employees. HR can collaborate with department managers to develop them into authentic coaches, good listeners and better leaders.
To best utilize this underrated skill, HR will need to provide coaching at all levels of business to encourage and practice accountability between departments. The role of HR in coaching is keeping people accountable for achieving their goals, following policies and procedures, and living out the values of the company.
A Foolproof Formula for Creating a Diversity and Inclusion Centered Workplace
Workplaces are now becoming more diverse with people from different backgrounds coming together under one roof. A healthy mix of genders, nationalities, cultures, religions, and worldviews requires companies to respect individual differences.
This unmapped territory has become a challenge for many businesses causing them to lose top talent and tarnish their reputation. HR must strive to create and promote a foolproof strategy for everyone to come together and establish a culture of diversity and inclusion. A successful strategy will bridge the gap where differences aren’t seen as a challenge but rather something that brings everyone together.
Accenture ACN +0% leads this movement with its “Inclusion Starts With I” YouTube series, ranking them as number one on Thomas Reuters Index of the World’s Most Diverse and Inclusive Companies. They’ve taken an overlooked and intimidating concept and made it the foundation of their business while using the voices of their employees to communicate their experience.
To Stay Connected and Ahead of the Tech Curve
It’s no surprise technology is taking over business. Systems and technology are becoming outdated faster than before requiring businesses to keep up or lag behind their competition. Companies who rely on outdated technology experience disrupted workflows, decreased productivity and slow response rates to organizational needs.
With HR being the driving force behind the training and development of their employees, it’s crucial they stay ahead of the curve. They can do this by learning new processes, strategies and systems to keep the company at the forefront of the industry. HR should be on top of new trends, training their employees quickly and easily to keep the company competitive.
The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) is a powerful resource dedicated to keeping their 250,000+ members up-to-date on domestic and global trends. Staying connected and being familiar with new technology is no longer an option but instead a necessity to remain competitive and relevant.
Originally published by Heidi Lynne Kurter at https://www.forbes.com.