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Athens State University Master of Science in Strategic Human Resource Management
Results from this study indicate that 88% of employees assert that overall flexibility in both work hours and location will be a major determinant in their employer of choice, while 76% maintain that they will also prioritize their valued lifestyle over proximity to work or compensation. Further, 86% of employees report that they prefer working for employers that value overall impact of their work versus work volume or output. The same number of respondents assert they want an employer that prioritizes diversity and creates a climate of equity and inclusiveness. Conclusions drawn
from this research offer guidance and demand for major shifts in talent management.
A Call for New Staffing Models
In response to the employee call for new staffing and employment models, organizational leaders will need to take recalibrated steps to attract and retain talent in the future. Recent developments have suggested it will be necessary for organizations to rethink their social contract of work. In this evolving era of unconventional approaches to talent management, HR leaders can offer helpful guidance. Minahan (2020) recommends three primary areas to target: 1. Create flexible work schedules, where outcomes, versus time and location, matter most
2. Focus recruiting efforts with a broader lens with emphasis on utilization of untapped pools of talent, such as retirees, gig workers, and existing homeforce willing and preferring to work remotely, and generally from home
3. Develop and implement (or further enhance) an agile learning agenda to meet specific employer needs and the employee’s desire to reskill and upskill
It is maintained by offering employees involvement in the creation of their own flexible work options that are customized and personalized, and allowing them to find balance in both their professional and personal lives, organizations can best assure employee retention, as well as attract the best talent in the future. Furthermore, providing the opportunity for employees to upgrade their current knowledge and skills can twofold serve to meaningfully invest in critical talent for a competitive advantage, but also serve to motivate and inspire employees who can tangibly see the employer’s investment in them.
In Conclusion-Reality Check
The reality is how we look at work and how it is done will never, ever again, be the same. Work design and staffing models will have to be reimagined and reinvented. It is time to peel back the cloak of tradition
and rethink the way we work.
Kim LaFevor, DBA, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, IPMA-SCP, NDC-CDP
Senior Executive to the President for Strategy & Innovatioon Athens State University Kim.LaFevor@athens.edu www.athens.edu
