HR Trends for 2007

Based on SHRM Workplace Forecast 2006-2007 Executive Summary

As I review SHRM’s Executive Summary, I reflect on certain trends in Human Resource Management that seem to strongly affect not only the business world but our society. Let me quote this summary to inform the Top Ten Trends in Human Resource Management for 2007:

1. “Rising Health Care Costs.

2. Greater use of outsourcing (offshoring) of jobs to other countries.

3. Threat of increased medical / health care costs on the economic competitiveness of the United States.

4. Greater demand for reconciliation between work and personal life.

5. Retirement of large numbers of “Baby Boomers” (those born between 1945 and 1964) at approximately the same time.

6. New attitudes toward aging and retirement as baby boomers reach retirement age.

7. Increase in the number of people and families without health insurance.

8. Major identity theft.

9. Work intensification as employers try to increase productivity with fewer employees.

10. Vulnerability of the technology to an attack or disaster “.

This executive summary was produced by SHRM for its more than 140,000 members and who collected this information from many human resource sources and surveys. (SHRM is the Society for Human Resource Management).

The report goes on to detail other major issues that have become common to HR professionals, such as: employee retirement benefits, labor shortages, retention of key personnel, economic uncertainties, labor negotiation, cross-cultural understanding, legal responsibilities and employee rights, global business practices. and many other family, work and social trends.

This is stressful for HR professionals, other managers, and their staff. The way I read this report (from my position as a stress management trainer, consultant, and coach) is that the accelerating pace of change and the aging of the workforce has prompted urgent considerations for managing stress in the workplace. Uncontrolled stress contributes to negative challenges in health care costs (issues # 1, # 3, # 7), work life balance (# 4), retention (# 5, # 9, # 4, # 6) and reduced levels of productivity (# 9, # 4.) The insecurities and threats of global pressures are not problems that stress top management, they are concerns of many HR professionals and many people in our workforce.

While it may be beyond our ability to control major global trends or even changes within our society, we can develop strategies to control how we and our workforce respond to these pressures. We can manage change by leading change in the most positive way. We can avoid using “denial” as a tool to postpone necessary trainings that are essential for economic health and increased productivity in business. So let’s “get our heads out of the sand” and move forward by addressing these issues and not just reacting to the aftermath of negative situations.

Be a leader and help develop the strategies your organization requires to minimize the stress of these inevitable trends on our people and productivity.

Consider learning more about:

Change management … Lead inevitable changes and transitions in a positive way

Stress management for key people, teams and your organization

Develop effective retention strategies

Balancing work life and quality of life programs (retention and control of health care costs)

Healthcare cost containment

Well-being as an important benefit for the containment of health care costs and as a retention strategy

Improve the productivity of your workforce by eliminating distractions

Whether your organization is large or small, these trends will affect you. If your business is in: healthcare, finance, manufacturing, transportation, human services, education, technology, government, or retail, you will need to address how changes in our world and our society influence your workforce. Although you may be overwhelmed by these trends, you can save time and money while increasing productivity by helping create strategies that will help your managers and staff respond in the most positive way.

Along the way, take good care of yourself.