23 Mar 2021
What 2021 holds for business and talent
Taking a government prescribed route out of lockdown, UK business is at a crossroads and deciding which way to go has been made easier by the digital working revolution that arose from the pandemic. Now could be the perfect time to accelerate use of digital technologies and succeed, or face a slow decline. If your competitors are ahead in the technology game then don’t lag behind playing catch up.
2020 was a time of massive uncertainty but it also presented massive opportunities. Our hand may have been forced, but changes to the working landscape gave business the chance to work differently and experiment with work practices considered risky at any other time.
Building on the digital nature of work and making the right moves could see your business emerge in 2021 more agile and better equipped than ever before. To ensure success, battle lines are being drawn to attract top talent, engage existing teams and maintain productivity. Deploying the best technology is the key to being battle ready.
Virtual is now the norm; yet the impact of Covid-19 combined with global movements for equality and diversity means that change is still happening apace. What would have taken years to achieve has happened in a few short months. Business should look closely at recruitment, onboarding, talent management and employee retention programmes to ensure they can keep pace, making effective use of technology to send all the right messages inside and outside the business.
A corporate website, social media, networking, mobile use and software tools will all have a role to play in increasing the talent pool and building a more diverse team in the future. In addition to reaching out to external candidates, review skill sets within the business and include re-skilling and up-skilling of existing staff. Take a step up with learning and development and demonstrate commitment to employee growth and well-being. Invest in technology that can be used to reach and recruit top performers and identify and manage existing skills to harness the power of the workforce.
One certainty of the coming months is that the role of HR will become more complex as managers strive to align a people strategy with constantly evolving global events and changing business priorities. With the right people and technology in place, business can face these challenges and be back on the road to success in 2021 and beyond.
Human Capital Management software from Frontier Software delivers an integrated approach to recruitment, onboarding, talent management and reporting from a single database. Benefit from reduced workforce administration, improved productivity, alignment of company objectives with employee performance and use of proven technology to deliver efficiencies.
Article originally published on London Loves Business March 2021.