7 Ways HR Will Look Different in 2021 | Fast Company

As the pandemic has fast-forwarded the arrival of workforce and workplace predictions that we have heard about over the past several years, this article provides seven insights on how next-generation HR functions will look different in 2021 and beyond. They include: 1) HR Will Be Broadly Seen as a Business Function, 2) HR Is Now Distributed by Default, 3) Our Employee Wellness and Benefits Must Now Fully Embrace Mental Health Support, 4) HR Is Becoming an Agile Function, 5) Our Thinking Regarding Diversity Has Broadened to Inclusion, Belonging, Equity, and Acknowledging Systemic Inequity, 6). Our Shift From Silos to Open-source Is Complete, 7) We’ve Retired the Idea of Separate “work/life” Personas. Regarding #4, while “agile” has long been a buzzword in business, the pandemic has forced its adoption within the HR function practically overnight. Many HR practitioners have been able to simplify practices and processes, and accelerate organizational decision-making while delivering value to the business and workforce. And while this trend hasn’t come without a toll, it speaks to “agile’s” untapped potential as an enabler of organizational effectiveness. One question that HR teams can answer in 2021: What HR practices, processes, policies, etc., can be eliminated, reimagined, or transformed to enable agile in the best way to benefit the business beyond the pandemic?