7 Experts Predict the Future of HR in 2019

Seven Experts.

One Question.

What Will Happen to HR in 2019?

Disillusioned workers are trading corporate life for the freedom of the gig economy. Your employees hate your in-office technology so much they're using their own devices instead, creating an unsecured and unmonitored IT ecosystem — but IT security talent is so hard to find you probably couldn't even police your employees' "shadow IT" network if you wanted to. You can't close your skills gaps because your training and development initiatives lack structure.

Welcome to 2019!

Okay, so it won't all be bad. Just ask these seven experts. While they may see some obstacles on the horizon for HR and recruiting professionals, they also see some clever solutions. Artificial intelligence (AI) will drive more strategic hiring decisions, new social collaboration tools will make shadow IT a thing of the past, Siri will book our business flights, and a brand new hybrid employment model will give employees the freedom they crave will ensuring organizations get the talent they need when they need it.

Get out ahead of the curve today — find out what some of the biggest names in talent are predicting for the future of the field:

1. AI Streamlines HR, Recruiting, and Professional Development

While many people worry that AI will replace the human workforce, the reality is AI can be a positive assistant rather than a threat. AI software utilizes machine learning to reduce the need for people to handle repetitive tasks. These automated processes create more time for HR executives to focus on advanced strategy for the business as a whole, rather than mundane tasks.

Utilizing AI in HR will create a more streamlined recruiting process. For example, AI can scan for relevant keywords in applications and weed out hundreds of applicants based on set criteria — before the hiring team even looks at a single resume.

Advanced learning management systems will also propel learning and development into the future by implementing cognitive decision support, allowing for cutting-edge training opportunities like instant feedback on an employee's mood and tone following a client call.

— Matt Thomas, President, WorkSmart Systems

2. Culture Comes Under Scrutiny

According to Deloitte's 2018 "Millennial Survey," the world's largest talent demographic has become pretty disillusioned with employer brands. After surveying 10,455 millennials and 1,844 Gen. Z workers around the globe, Deloitte found that only 48 percent of respondents believe corporations are committed to helping improve society, compared to 65 percent in 2017.

"Loyalty must be earned, and the vast majority of millennials are prepared to move, and move quickly, for a better workplace experience," write the report's authors.

Combine this growing skepticism with a workforce that is generally overworked and overwhelmed, and you may see more candidates jumping ship for gig-based work — unless you can convince them otherwise.

In a recent episode of Basecamp's Rework podcast, Basecamp cofounder Jason Fried boldly called out our current working culture, which he describes as a "modern interruption factory." Fried posits the toxicity of the "hustle" myth may become more and more apparent to workers. Although they might not have the power to change it, they will at least change the way they view job opportunities.

Moving forward, don't be surprised if candidates are scrutinizing not only your mission but also your company's overarching outlook on work, including your work/life balance, perks, and benefits.

— Darren Bounds, Founder and CEO, Breezy HR

3. Internal Communication Gets an Upgrade

Clunky corporate intranets with low adoption rates will meet their demise in 2019. While these programs have good intentions, execution is poor, leading users to adopt non-sanctioned tools to do their jobs, resulting in shadow IT. To help combat shadow IT, CIOs will focus on solutions for social collaboration inside that organization, like chatbots, that provide a strong user experience while ensuring compliance with existing processes and regulations.

— Stephane Donze, CEO, AODocs

4. The Digital Transformation of the Office Is Coming

Virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa have been around for several years now, and they continue to evolve and gain new functions. Combining these technologies with smart home devices has already changed the way we live. In 2019, they will also change the way we work.

Imagine saying, "Siri, please book my trip to LA." Siri, knowing your preferred airline and car rental agency, makes all the necessary arrangements. She also knows your travel preferences — such as your desire to never fly east to go west or to schedule the red-eye so you can make it home to celebrate your granddaughter's birthday — and can use them to make the right travel decisions with little intervention from you. After making all the bookings, Siri automatically updates your calendar with confirmation numbers, and she remembers to check in for your flights exactly 24 hours in advance.

— Jeff Ton, SVP, Product Development and Strategic Alliances, InterVision

5. Security Personnel Will Be the Biggest IT Talent Pain Point

With technology being the foundation of modern business, IT talent will always be in high demand. In 2019, no IT talent will be more in demand than highly qualified security professionals.

According to CyberSeek, 17,000 information security analyst openings went unfilled from 2017 to 2018. Given the rapidly evolving cyberthreat landscape, companies have little choice but to take greater risks to acquire the right talent, even poaching to make up for shortages when necessary.

As poaching across the marketplace ramps up, your own business could lose key personnel. You will need to get creative in order to recruit and retain security talent, especially if your business is mid-sized or small. In fact, many companies are likely to engage with expert third parties to close their security gaps in 2019.

— Kevin Van Mondfrans, Senior Director of Product Management, InterVision

6. Organizations Will Appoint Digital Skills Officers to Manage Their Teams’ Technical Skills

Our customers frequently speak of a disconnect between their existing training programs and the skills their teams need in order to succeed. Training and development opportunities are often offered without structure. As a result, they do not always align with the company's technical goals. To solve this problem, we predict organizations will begin appointing digital skills officers to manage their teams' technical skills and create structure in training efforts. Digital skills officers work closely with the office of the CTO and CIO to align training efforts with technical road maps, focusing on contextualized training to drive successful learning outcomes.

— Stefano Bellasio, CEO and Founder, Cloud Academy

7. A Hybrid Gig/Full-Time Employment Model Will Emerge

The gig economy will continue to grow in 2019, but marketplace-style models, where anyone can be an expert, will no longer meet the needs of those looking to hire. Instead, companies will want to hire individuals who actually feel like part of the team at the cost benefit of hiring on a gig basis.

Right now, we're seeing a merging of the gig economy and the traditional, full-time employment model. It's a model where both quality and quantity are maximized — the best of both worlds. Previously, hiring a freelance gig worker was a static process. They came in and did the job they were assigned — nothing more. With the elasticity that technology provides, organizations are free to get more services when they need more services. It's similar to when you need more computer storage: When you need more storage, you need it, and it usually only takes the click of a button to get it.

Since sales and marketing teams are always the first to feel the squeeze during tough times, it's important that they lower costs in 2019. Leveraging the gig economy is one way to get that done. Think: outsourcing specific job functions to an SaaS that operates at a lower cost than a full-time hire, like using a tool to grow your sales pipeline through prequalified leads. In 2019, there will be no more hoping, bidding, and waiting for jobs in the marketplace. We'll see consistent gig employment that gives employees the flexibility they want while giving brands the stability they need.

— Russ Perry, CEO, Design Pickle