Over the years, human resource management has undergone significant changes. This has been due to several factors, which include technological advancement and the development of HRM theories and concepts that have been used to revolutionize human resource management (Storey, 2014). For example, in addition to the application of technologies that automate work processes, platforms have been created to simplify the recruitment process and manage talent among workers. In the last decade, some of the trends that have been observed in human resource management include employee experience and engagement, data, performance, an increased need for data and analytic tools, and five generations in the workplace. In this paper, an analysis of these trends will be carried out.
Employee experience and engagement
Over the last 10 years, employee experience, that is, culture work life, and engagement—has undergone significant changes. Evolution in technology has resulted in an improved work experience as workers are required to engage less physically (Marchington, Wilkinson, Donnelly, & Kynighou, 2016). For instance, the advent and evolution of computers have made it easy for employees to analyze data. Another aspect of employee experience and engagement which have evolved in the last decade is flexibility in the execution of duties. Due to technological development, most workers are not compelled to physically appear in the workplace but work from home. Working from home has been enhanced with the emergence of teleworking or telecommuting. For instance, one giant computer company indicates that more than 55 percent of its employees telecommute. A publishing firm in New York City reported that its employees are allowed to telecommute two days a week. This has increased the level of flexibility in the execution of duties among employees. Consequently, there has been an improvement in employee experience.(Storey, 2014) Most companies have also strengthened their cultures in a bid to differentiate themselves from competitors. This has, in turn, resulted in unique employee experiences.
With respect to employee engagement, there has been an increased level of engagement in the workplace in the last 10 years. This has been facilitated by the development of the HR department. Over the years, the HR department has become more critical to companies since it is seen as instrumental in influencing employee performance (Marchington, Wilkinson, Donnelly, &Kynighou, 2016). The increased prominence of the HR department has led to an increased level of employee engagement as companies try to increase the level of performance among their employees.
Data
Data is another trend in HRM that has evolved significantly over the last decade. In the last decade, there has been the development of sophisticated employee information systems that help in decision-making (Marchington, Wilkinson, Donnelly, & Kynighou, 2016). There has also been an increased emphasis on data collection by employees to enhance management. With an increased level of globalization, some companies have employees dispersed in many regions of the world, making it hard to manage them(Storey, 2014). These companies thereby rely on data to make decisions on the employees. Data collection over the last decade has also diversified. Companies currently strive to collect all the information they can manage on their employees to allow for effective management.
Performance
Performance is also another aspect of human resources that has received increased attention over the last decade. Companies currently focus on the performance of individual employees. As a result, there has been an emergence of concepts such as performance contracts as firms try to make sure employees perform at the highest level possible (Marchington, Wilkinson, Donnelly, &Kynighou, 2016). The emphasis on performance has compelled companies to keep performance records and carry out constant performance appraisals so that they can look for ways in which can improve the performance of their employees.
Increased need for data and analytic tools
Over the last 10 years, there has been an increased need for data and analytic tools among companies. With the evolution of business and business activities, the amount of data that firms need to collect has increased significantly. For instance, companies collect data on market trends, employees, competitors, and consumers (Storey, 2014). This has made it increasingly hard for companies to manually analyze the data collected. As such, there has been an increased need for data and analytic tools that automatically arrange and analyze data. Some of the data and analytic tools that have been developed over the years include Tableau Public, KNIME, and Solver.
Five generations in the workplace
Another significant trend in human resource management is the presence of five generations in the workplace, beginning from baby boomers to millennials. However, there has been a rise of millennials in the workplace in the recent past. The increased number of millennials has posed challenges in human resource management since a group of employees are go-getters and engaging (Marchington, Wilkinson, Donnelly &Kynighou, 2016). They constantly seek challenges in the workplace and abhor structure and rigidity. However, they are talented individuals who are valuable to companies. This has compelled many companies to revise their management styles to accommodate them.
Conclusion
Basically, in the last decade, a number of trends have emerged in human resource management. They include employee experience and engagement, data, performance, an increased need for data and analytic tools, and five generations in the workplace. These trends have affected the way companies operate. For example, the increased number of millennials in the workplace has compelled companies to adjust their management styles to accommodate their aggressive nature.
References
Marchington, M., Wilkinson, A., Donnelly, R., & Kynighou, A. (2016). Human resource management at work. London: Kogan Page Publishers. Storey, J. (2014). New Perspectives on Human Resource Management (Routledge Revivals). London: Routl
