4G workforces, product updates and AI: Five HR learnings from HUG

We announced four new innovative features tailored to help small and medium sized businesses navigate the rapidly changing landscape of HR. The new additions include:

• Streamlined International Absence Engine: Effortlessly set up new employees in key markets with pre-set templates — then apply customisation and automation.

• Compensation Management: Make smarter compensation decisions with streamlined salary reviews, approvals and changes — while protecting sensitive people data.

• Surveys: Monitor and measure engagement, track trends and increase satisfaction in your workforce while providing employees with an anonymous way to voice opinions.

Read more here.

Entrepreneur and podcast host Steven Bartlett emphasised the importance of culture and offered four key questions to help shape yours. 1) What opportunity are you trying to achieve in the world? 2) What behaviours will help achieve that opportunity? 3) What philosophies and values are needed to support that vision? 4) What systems, processes, and people should be in place to realise this vision?

Bartlett also highlighted the value of experimentation within organisations. He encouraged leaders to embrace experimentation and stressed that the highest-performing companies are often the ones with the highest experimentation and failure rates. By viewing experiments as opportunities for learning, rather measuring outcomes, he said leaders can create a culture where employees are not afraid to take risks and try new things.

Read more here.

According to employment guru and author Dr. Paul Redmond, who was joined by Channel 4's Head of Creative Diversity Naomi Sesay and entrepreneur and founder of Fanbytes Timothy Armoo, only 8% of organisations have policies for building multigenerational teams.

He shared that there's a shift towards prioritising development over job satisfaction and that it's crucial to make individuals feel like they belong and can actively contribute to meaningful decisions within the organisation. Additionally, the significance of language in shaping behaviour and the need for organisations to address potentially harmful language through open conversations were highlighted by Naomi.

Read more here.

Karen Blackett OBE, an accomplished CEO with over 25 years of experience in marketing communications, highlighted four significant factors influencing organisations during times of change: the VUCA world (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity), technological advancements, the "Learning Dip" with associated fears, and the tendency for individuals to downplay their differences.

To effectively manage these, Karen recommended several strategies: Diversify your trusted advisors to avoid groupthink, prioritise behaviours and emotional intelligence when promoting individuals, build trust within the organisation, foster allyship to ensure inclusivity and practice self-care to protect mental health. Additionally, Karen endorsed sponsorship programs as a way to leverage privilege to promote talented individuals.

Read more here.

The final keynote featured technology experts Tom Cheesewright and Dan Sodergren, who shared insights on AI's impact on HR worldwide. They emphasised that AI won't replace HR jobs entirely. While AI excels at tasks like pattern recognition and replication, it lacks the nuanced judgment and ethical considerations essential for HR roles.

Instead, AI can assist HR professionals in tasks such as organisation and communication. As AI becomes more prevalent, the value of human creativity and interpersonal skills will increase. AI democratises skills and talent, enabling individuals to focus on their strengths and passions while automating tedious tasks. Lower-performing employees, in particular, benefit from AI, as it allows them to redirect their efforts toward more fulfilling activities.

Read more here.