The beginning of a new year marks the perfect time to make changes and evolve, both in our personal and work lives. For HR professionals, setting effective goals and resolutions is a vital part of working in this ever-changing sector. It helps us remain agile, responsive, and aligned with the changing needs of the workforce.
In this blog, we explore tips and strategies for HR professionals to set goals that elevate their performance and contribute to the success of their organisation. We’ll also share our ideas for resolutions you can implement this year to take on 2024 with confidence.
What to consider when setting goals & resolutions?
Goals and resolutions only serve a purpose when they are thoughtfully made. Without careful planning and input from across your organisation, your hard work might not make the impact you intended. So, we’ve compiled some things you should consider before setting your goals for 2024.
Reflect on the past year
Before creating goals for the upcoming year, it’s important to reflect on the successes and challenges that have come before. Analysing key performance indicators, employee feedback, and HR policies gives you valuable insights. These insights help you to understand what works and what you should leave in 2023. Armed with this information, you can tailor this year’s goals to address your specific organisational needs.
Align your goals with your organisation
Effective goal-setting for an HR department takes into account the performance of the company as a whole. HR forms the web that connects all of the sectors of your business, and changes can have transformative effects company-wide. To do so, you need a thorough understanding of the overall objectives of your company.
This also includes fellow employees. It’s important to understand and address the expectations of your workforce when you’re setting goals. This could be achieved through an end-of-year survey or staff meeting. The benefits of this process are two-fold: they provide you with key insights as well as make staff feel valued and heard.
Assess your current systems
Technology is a vital part of any HR department in 2024. So, it must be considered when setting goals to improve your processes and keep up with the times. Performing a system health check and surveying your team on how technology shapes their day-to-day tasks is a great place to start.
HR resolutions for a productive year
Create a culture of continuous learning
89% of learning and development professionals agree that building employee skill sets better prepares them for the future. The best way to achieve this is by creating opportunities for ongoing professional development. Extra training, skill development, and certifications can help to keep your workforce up-to-date.
Integrate new technology
As we mentioned before, technology forms an integral part of any HR department. So, adding new technology or making better use of your existing software could be a helpful goal to set for the new year. This could mean leaning into AI integration or new data analytics tools.
However, moving with the times doesn’t always mean getting the shiniest new tech. Organising staff training or finding new ways to utilise your current software can also make a big difference.
Focus on employee wellbeing
In a 2023 survey, it was found that 1 in 4 workers had ‘clinically relevant’ symptoms of anxiety or depression. Poor mental health has also been found to affect employee productivity for at least 1 in 5 people. With this in mind, wellbeing-focused goals like introducing wellness programmes and mental health resources could be beneficial in 2024.
Make inclusion a priority
Diversity, Equity & inclusion (DEI) and employee wellbeing are intrinsically linked. When all of your employees feel comfortable at work, it naturally improves their well-being. In recent years, it has become a hot topic, with 97% of leaders saying they have implemented measures to focus on DEI. However, only 37% of employees said the same of their employers.
This disparity in employees feeling the benefit of DEI measures means goals in this area must be thoughtfully set. Engage your workforce in DEI and ally training. Evaluate your hiring process to be inclusive of all potential hires. Share the impact of your work by making a habit of reporting your DEI metrics at the end of the year. Outside of DEI, reporting the successes of your goals is a good way to both celebrate your team and inform your next set of goals!
As HR professionals embark on a new year filled with opportunities and challenges, setting effective goals is vital. However, resolutions work best when set thoughtfully. This means considering organisational goals, workforce needs and past successes. With this knowledge and understanding, you can set resolutions for a productive and success-filled year. At Phase 3 we hope you reach your goals this year and wish you every success in 2024.
