The Futurist: HR is likely to be leaner and meaner in 2026, says 3M Singapore

Joan Wong, head, human resources, 3M Singapore sheds light on how globalisation and today's job-hopping culture will change the face of talent management in the future.

The future of HR will be a continuation of our present attempts to build high performing and diverse talent globally, with a stronger emphasis on shaping a culture of teamwork and collaboration.

This will ensure that knowledge is transferred, competencies are built and that succession planning is not limited to the senior management positions, but also extends to other roles – guaranteeing business continuity.

With globalisation and the prevalence of the “boundary less” organisation, we will also see an even greater amalgamation of talent from different ethnicities and cultures working closely together. This makes rallying around the effort on diversity and inclusion a key priority.

The HR function is likely to be leaner and meaner in most big corporations with a focus to empower every manager to become a HR manager in his or her right. The concept of employee self-service with technology integrated solutions will be the order of the day. Hence, there will be a strong need to balance the offering of low-touch and high-touch HR programmes and solutions. People skills outside the virtual world will likely be in demand more than ever.

The phenomenon of “talent will not stay beyond three years on the job” will be a constant talent challenge that companies will also have to grapple  with. Long service awards will be passé. Additionally, fixed-term employment or overseas project-based assignments with a “work-life balance clause”, such as telecommuting, shorter work weeks, sabbatical leave and the like, will be the new normal.

Image: Provided

The June 2016 issue of Human Resources magazine is a special edition, bringing you interviews with 32 HR leaders, with their predictions on the future of HR.

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