Money still maters, and likely always will.  But so do shared values and some posit that creating a winning work environment and finding employees who want to work in that environment is ultimately best for the bottom line. HR managers can strive to nab employees that share their corporate values and work toward helping them hone their skills later, some suggest.

The nuances of maximizing the potential of emerging HR trends will surely confound some more than others, but some companies are looking to get ahead of the curve and proactively implement strategies that mirror the realities of a rapidly changing landscape. The companies that ultimately succeed will be the ones that can make a smooth transition into whatever emerges as the new best practice. However, there are also some experts waving red flags about blindly following trendy hiring practices.

Randstad Sourceright Report Lays Out HR Trends

A Randstad Sourceright report hit on some trending Human Resource strategies to find and retain top talent, including recommendations about branding, culture, and workplace flexibility. A Staffing Industry article summarizes some of the key points in the Randstad Sourceright 2015 Talent Trends Report, which showed two-thirds of HR leaders have reported an increased emphasis on employer branding compared to five years ago and 57% think their ability to retain top talent is a result of a strong brand image.

The report also points out that companies that have enjoyable workplace cultures are at a distinct advantage when it comes to finding and keeping winning personnel. They predict that hiring employees based on “aptitude, personality and culture fit” will win out over traditional hiring factors. “Focusing on aptitude and attitude to do the job, and investing in learning and development to build needed skills and qualifications will enable organizations to expand their talent pool and enhance their culture,” the article reads.

Further, flexible labor is growing worldwide and just under half of the respondents in the Randstad report say they consider every type of labor when considering a workforce plan, including hiring permanent, temporary and contracted employees. Nearly 70% of respondents say they believe they will need to increase their contingent employees in the next five to ten years in order to be competitive.

Company Branding More Than Just an HR Issue

Both HR and marketing departments need to be in sync with the need to create, maintain and improve a positive image of their company, according to a BizCommunity article. Branding the company to the market is an important part of any business, but branding the company within itself is also important, and the two concepts can work in tandem when implemented properly.

Social media is a powerful tool toward achieving both these goals. “[An] effective social media strategy and branding from within means you'll see increased levels of employee engagement, and recognition of your company as an employer of choice,” according to the article. 

When creating a desirable brand, and subsequently selling talented potential employees on it, it is important to follow through and ensure the positive workplace image is more than a superficial selling point. It must be the reality. Companies that can accurately gauge the satisfaction of their employees will be in the best position to retain their talented employees. This saves time on hiring and training new employees. 

A Warning About an Overly Freelance Workforce

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by 2020 more than 40% of the workforce will be contingent, according to a story in the Business Journals. A number of factors are cited as reasons for the trend; cheaper mobile technologies, proliferated high-speed Internet access, cloud technologies, the ease of working off-site and the Affordable Care Act, which removes some of the urgency to find a job for health insurance purposes.

However, not enough attention is being paid to the dangers of an overly freelance workforce. Policies and procedures are typically written for and directed at internal staff. There are also difficulties in monitoring and evaluating contingent employees, and the impact it might have on the workplace culture. “Watch carefully how your shadow staff interacts and integrates with your employees to preserve the culture you’ve built and promoted,” the article reads.