Discussion Reply- Response 1-2 paragraphs with 1-2 references

Alexandra

What HR functional areas within the technical competency domain of people do you believe will be impacted the most by future trends? How?

I believe employee engagement will be impacted by future trends such as the increase of employees being able to work from home (WFH). Due to the pandemic outbreak that occurred early in 2020, many companies had no choice but to switch from working in the office to working from home. Although given the situation WFH was the only option employers had; however, some employers noticed that workers were more productive WFH. A study that was conducted by Standford regarding 16,000 workers over a 9-month period concluded that WFH increased productivity by 13% (“Surprising WFH Statistics”). Due to the increase of productivity WFH, many employers have decided to keep certain positions permanently WFH or willing to give their employees the option of WFH or working in the office. As you can imagine, giving employees the option of working from home or working in the office provides flexibility and the potential to boost retention, optimize productivity, enhance remote work culture, nurture happiness, and improve fitness (Bell, 2020).

What HR functional areas within the technical competency domain of workplace do you believe will be impacted the most by future trends? How?

According to the technical competency domain of the workplace, I believe diversity and inclusion will be impacted by future trends. For instance, due to WFH becoming a common option in the workplace, mothers returning from maternity leave can be part of their children’s lives while maintaining their careers rather than cutting down on hours to care for their children. Another reason why diversity and inclusion will be most impacted as it opens the door for more accessibility. For instance, people who have a disability can avoid commuting to the office and work from the comfort of their own homes (Milanesi). On the other hand, employers need to be mindful that all employees do not have the same resources at home such as a strong Wi-Fi connection or computer(s) that are essential to working from home (if the equipment is not being offered by the company). If companies do not offer equipment for employees to take home, then they need to take into consideration that some employees may not have the financial means to go out and buy the equipment and may not have the resources needed. Moreover, due to the flexibility of WFM, companies will be able to attract more diverse talent from outside the area.

What HR functional areas within the technical competency domain of the organization do you believe will be impacted the most by future trends? How?

I believe technology management will be impacted by future trends as technology continues to evolve. I do not think the changes in technology will necessarily be impacted negatively; however, it may cause some problems with adaptability as some employees are not too tech-savvy and may need more training or shadowing to become more competent with the software.

References

Bell, A. (2020, November 9). 17 Must-Have Remote Employee Perks You NEED To Know About. SnackNation.

https://snacknation.com/blog/remote-employee-perks/.

Milanesi, C. (2020, March 23). Working from home is great for diversity. Let's keep it going. Fast Company.

https://www.fastcompany.com/90480008/working-from-home-is-great-for-diversity-lets-keep-it-going.