5 HR Megatrends To Watch Over the Next Decade

I have to confess. I didn't come up with the term Mega Trends. My father tells me it was a bestselling book published in 1990 (Google says so too).

But it was the title of the Advisory Board Centre's Mega Trends Summit May 2022.  In looking over the topics some 9 months later, these have only grown in importance. 

Here is my take on HR trends now, and into the future.

1. Trust

This trend should not be a surprise.  Trust in

• your advisors,
• your people,
• your leadership and
• your intuition,

are all required for your business resilience and success.

2. Making confident decisions

Many business owners I work with feel they need to carry the weight of the decision making and bear the results. But some lack the confidence to carry through with the decision.

According to the latest HR Coach research, employers' ability to plan, problem-solve and make decisions has dropped by 8% since 2020.  The trust you build with your people, advisors and other experts will pay dividends in making confident decisions.

3. Sustainability Factor

The need for sustainability has continued to grow in importance.  From a HR perspective, sustainability comes from having a solid HR framework , including understanding your people data, employee value proposition, retention, exits, attraction and succession. 

4. Next generation

It feels like every generation talks about the "next generation" with a mixture of hope and despair. Organisational psychologist, Kelly Maniatis reported that only 10% of employees are thriving at work. This is not sustainable. 

Regardless of their generation, employees are now asking about well-being factors and are being negotiated above salary. According to the Boston Consulting Group, 60% of employees are looking at the organisation's ESG and DEI KPIs when considering employment options. 

5. The Leadership Factor

When comparing pre- and post-pandemic leadership, I found one glaring difference – today's leaders do not have the luxury of time to consider new information before reacting.

The 'need to be brave' is now a key leadership trait. This could mean challenging assumptions, gathering accurate data for your business, focusing on the outcome, playing a longer game rather than getting a quick win and showing vulnerability-based trust.   

The key takeaway for me is, we need to stop asking 'Are we doing things right?" and start asking 'Are we doing the right things?'.

We need to access the right information and make sustainable decisions. Sustainability is not a fad nor a marketing campaign. It's about leaving a legacy, one we are proud of.

Should you require further information please contact 
melissa@exceler8.com.au | 0408 757 663 | www.exceler8.com.au