“As an HR manager in particular, finding the right balance between tough love and flexibility can be particularly challenging if you want to keep your staff happy and productive,” the council writes. “One of the most notable HR trends for this year is actually the ability to give employees a more flexible way of working and to offer personalized working methods based on each staff member’s history with your company and overall efficiency.”
The council offers several suggestions for HR including avoiding nepotism policies and refraining from creating rules so strict that they handcuff managers from making exceptions in cases where it is warranted. The council also notes that workers who are productive and self-sufficient should be allowed to work remotely as long as the work gets done. It also recommends firms not be such sticklers to rigid promotion rules that may hold someone back unnecessarily.