How HR Professionals Can Remain Effective in Changing Times

Kenya jobs, 

We have complained about the economy for far too long. It is not getting any better and daily processes are getting affected the more. In fact, the trend so far shows it will only get worse as this year progresses. I would like to ask you this one question; as a HR professional, what are you doing to stay effective in these changing times?

While a poor economy remains a headache for many businesses in Kenya, we also cannot forget other issues plaguing the daily functions of Human Resource departments. For instance, finding good talent to hire is becoming an everyday struggle, retaining great talent is proving an almost impossible thing to do and adapting to recent changes in technology is getting tricky. And let’s not get started on the generation Y’s effect in the workplace.

As you become aware of these emerging issues, it is important to evaluate the extent to which they are affecting your organization. It is also important that you take a step back to assess the state of these changes and come up with different ways to handle them. Otherwise, you will be hit by a far worse disaster of a crumbling business or organization; an outcome you could have easily averted.

The Reality of the Changing Times and What HR Professionals Should Do About It

For a business to survive in these changing times, the HR functions must be stronger than ever. And the best way to achieve that is to accept the changes as they come and adapt accordingly. Do not assume you don’t have to conform to the change. The truth is you don’t really have an option.

So how do you remain in business in these changing times? Here’s how.

1. Poor Economy

‘There is no money’ has become a common phrase across businesses. You want to hire new talent to assist with the daily workload, but your evaluation of the business finances does not provide a budget for new employees. You’ve probably even stretched to your limit with the salaries of your current employees and are thinking through possible solutions. At some point, you even thought about cutting down on costs by firing a few people or reducing the salaries.

If you are going through this period, you are not alone. I interact with employers on a daily basis on recruitment matters and I can tell you, with certainty, very many companies and organizations are sharing your pain. The good news is there are solutions to help you cope with the current economy. The bad news is it’s not going to be easy for you as a HR professional.

You will have to decide between letting go a few employees, reducing salaries for your staff or doing both. But since each of these solutions will come with disadvantages, you may need to take up the roles of a coach, mentor, counselor, and motivator.

Laying off employees or cutting down on compensation will result in a demotivated workforce. For this reason, you may need to schedule meetings to explain to your employees the situation and remind them why it is important to remain focused on their jobs. You may also have to work harder in motivating them.

2. The Young Workforce

Generation Y employees are as a result of social change. As HR professionals you will agree the young folk can be the best thing to happen to an organization or can be the worst nightmare. They are more concerned about retaining their independence, and if they spot any form of control that will deny them this, they fret and cause chaos.

It is also harder to retain good talent in the young workforce bracket as most of their wishes cannot be met with the immediacy they demand. Younger employees want changes implemented as soon as they want it, yet this is hard as there are strategies and policies to follow. And these policies were not arrived at on a whim.

So how do you effectively handle the young workforce? You allow yourself a sense of flexibility. Instead of looking at these young people and wondering why they are in such a hurry to do things, listen to their outcries. You don’t have to meet their every demand, but you can work a few things around to lessen their agitation and keep them in your team.

The truth is these young employees have fresh ideas and can be a great asset to the organization. All you will need to do is cultivate some patience and understand that all they want is someone who will listen to their ideas, and be willing to meet them halfway.

3. Advancement in Technology

The hiring process is getting easier as technological change occurs. But how many HR professionals have adapted well to these changing times? I believe only a few people have. Some of us still prefer to physically sift through physical CVs, if we do not go through the faster process of referral. And the rest of us are yet to adopt the use of time tracking software and are still hooked on the traditional clock in.

But this is not the technology change HR professionals should be most wary of. No. This is just a show of what is to come and why it is vital to stay knowledgeable in IT matters, especially to keep up with new systems that directly affect the Human Resource functions.

There is need to examine these new technologies in relation to how they will impact the HR department as well as the organization. You do not want to end up with the wrong technology in place as it will cause more harm than good.

In Conclusion

Change is inevitable. The human resource industry is bound to be affected every time there is action in any of these three areas. Social change will continue to affect the employees and organizational culture, technology is going to affect how things are done and the economy may continue to be a headache for a while longer.

Once you accept this to be the current situation, you are one step closer to staying effective in these changing times. And when you start to adapt accordingly, everything else will start to fall into place and the business or organization will remain relevant in the market.

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