Reskilling and upskilling of HR professionals

In an era driven by technological advancements and new knowledge, it has become the need of the hour for HR professionals to constantly hone their skills to stay relevant and improve their competency. While companies require skilled and efficient HR teams to drive organisational performance and conveniently manage their human resources, nearly 42 per cent of business leaders think that their HR teams are just getting by, as per Deloitte. 

Within an organisation, HRs have huge responsibilities ranging from recruitment to payroll to wellbeing management of employees. Thus, it becomes imperative that HRs is upskilled or reskilled to strategically use their knowledge and turn their organisations into performing powerhouses.

Reasons Why HRs Must Upskill or Reskill 

The pandemic has disrupted businesses and forced HR leaders to rethink their role within the organisation to adjust to new working models and employee requirements. Here are some of the reasons why it has become so important for HRs managers to improve or enhance their skills:

To Effectively Use Digitised Tools

Digital proficiency is one of the must-required skills for HR professionals these days. A survey by Deloitte has revealed that 56 per cent of companies are redesigning their HR processes and programs to integrate digital tools. Since the organisations of the present day are working towards building a digital HR culture, contributing to digital initiatives and coaching others on driving long-term sustainable value for organisations, digital literacy has become inevitable for HR leaders. Also, the fact that the inception of AI, ML, robotics and IoT along with digitised tools like HRMS are making recruitment, onboarding, payroll and employee engagement easier and more effective, being on top of technological trends and innovations is a must-have quality for HR professionals. A digitally savvy human resource department can leverage tech-enabled opportunities and understand how it impacts the growth of the organisation.

Understand the Mental Health Requirements of Employees

Employee mental health is a hot topic of discussion these days. The pandemic has clearly indicated that the mental health of employees is in jeopardy. As a result, organisations around the world are devising new ways to address the stigma associated with mental health and its emerging link to inclusion, equity and diversity. The first thing that HR leaders need to do is educate themselves on the matter and in turn, the workforce. If the HR is not well-versed on the subject, it can lead to prejudice or negative reactions. Teaching employees about the basics of mental health and dispelling the myths associated with mental health begins with HR. HRs need to learn and provide the best resources to employees so that anyone suffering from mental health issues can find immediate help. 

Understand the Needs of the Millenial and Gen Z Workforce

The pandemic has not only changed working models but also the demands and expectations of the Millenial and Gen Z workforce. This digitally-savvy generation wants instant gratification as well as personalization in different facets of their lives including the workplace. They just don’t simply strive for a fat paycheck, but rather for the opportunity to create an impact, culture and recognition. If those are not met, they are more than happy to jump ship.  This indicates that HR teams need to rethink their approach to dealing with such employees. HRs need to personalise employee experiences by delivering customised content, recommending tailored learning opportunities, predicting what new positions such individuals may excel in and most importantly, meeting the rising expectations. For all this to happen, HRs need to spend more time with the employees, learn their habits and preferences and conduct surveys to understand how the work behaviour of employees can be influenced. 

Final Words

The responsibilities and roles of HRs are always evolving. By investing in upskilling and reskilling, HR professionals can excel in their work as well as bring out the best in the team. After all, in the end, an upskilled HR team is definite to affect the organisation’s profitability positively and assist it to achieve business objectives.  

The article has been written by Vicky Jain, Co- Founder & CEO, uKnowva – 360 degree HRMS