The Futurist: Virtual management to become the norm, says JWT's HR head

Genevieve Godwin, regional HR director, J. Walter Thompson Asia Pacific, identifies flexible employment practices, dynamic processes, and employee participation as the three keys to HR in 2026.

The future of HR will be a much more strategic function within the business. Flexible employment practices, dynamic processes and employee participation will be key features of this.

Flexible working practices are much more prevalent in some industries than others. Advertising is well known for its long hours and lack of work life balance. We can see the predictions of flexibility, remote working and virtual management all becoming the norm.

In addition, companies will need to evaluate how they employ people and the shifts in the value of a full time permanent role. Employees of the future will want a more flexible relationship with companies not only in hours, but in their employment arrangement.

Contractors and contract roles will become more prevalent in the future and HR needs to ensure the business structure supports this.

Performance appraisal processes will be a permanent fixture of the past. Companies now and in the future will implement strategic, real-time, conversation-focused performance management models rather than lengthy appraisal processes which take months to complete.

Real-time feedback will become the norm with social media being used in 360-degree feedback models and employees will need to manage their careers resulting in a significant cultural shift from the manager/employee approach.

Associated with this, the future will see employee participation continuing to increase in HR processes. Instead of HR administering employee benefits, employees will have the opportunity to choose and manage a flexible benefit programme online, which would have been outsourced to an external provider.

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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