HR’s top seven challenges in 2019

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A recent whitepaper of over 800 human resource professionals has revealed that the biggest challenge for HR professionals in the coming year is the search for high quality applicants (64%). 

“Employers are having an increasing difficult time finding people with the right skills. With today’s low unemployment rate, workforce planning is, and will likely continue to be, a major concern for HR and one that requires creative and strategic planning and development,” Beth Zoller, legal editor at XpertHR, said.

The other workforce challenges include:

Ensuring employees and supervisors have the necessary skill sets now and for future responsibilities (52%)

Creating a succession plan (50%)

Increasing employee engagement, morale and satisfaction (49%)

Employee retention (40%)

Managing performance and providing professional development opportunities (47%)

Aligning the talent retention strategy with business objectives (43%)

Handling employee mergers and acquisitions (40%)

“Workforce planning is a key challenge for HR and requires an employer to review all phases of the employment relationship from start to end in order to make strategic business decisions that have a positive impact on the employer’s bottom line,” Zoller commented.

It is advised that key stakeholders and members of management should assess the company’s short- and long-term goals and the unique factors affecting the employer’s business and shaping its workforce. Data analytics may be a useful tool to evaluate progress and to understand where and how an employer should focus its efforts as well as to reduce costs.