As we head into 2025, it has become apparent that the future of work is here. Those of us who have worked in the HR industry or management over the last twenty plus years have seen incredible change. Indeed, these changes were felt by many who had any pre-pandemic work experience. Some of the changes were predicted while others are more surprising. 

A quick question to the search function pulls up the Artificial Intelligence (AI) opinion on this. Not surprising, AI tells me that AI is going to be one of the top HR items for 2025, both in terms of the process of automation and analytics and in regards to ethics surrounding the use of AI. This is followed by a reminder that hybrid work, pushed by the pandemic, is here to stay. 

The pandemic also highlighted the need for the well-being of employees and the importance of mental health and these items remain high on the list. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) which rose in visibility during the pandemic, remain high as do other people based initiatives such as “focusing on the employee experience” and “people-centered HR strategy.” 

In between is an interesting category listed as “skills based hiring over traditional qualifications.” When you think about it, as employable individuals left the market during the pandemic, competition grew. Employers will need to remain open to ways of getting work done in different ways and of ensuring their employees are happy.

Employers should be looking at their organizations and the jobs to see what improvements can be made that would attract and retain candidates and should consider more flexible options for scheduling and performing work. Companies should take a look at their job descriptions and see if they are outdated. (Think removing statements related to being able to use pagers and fax machines and adding the ability to use AI.) Companies should also take a look at the minimum requirements for the position. Are those requirements really necessary, or are they merely creating a bar from hiring potential candidates? If you need Human Resources expertise, and are unsure with what to do, we can help you at Southwestern HR Consulting (SWHRC).  Contact SWHRC today at the link above to find out about our services and our team of experts.

Written by | Magdalena Vigil-Tullar

HR Consultant | MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CLRP

Phone: 505-270-7494 | Email: magdalena@swhrc.com

PO Box 14274 | Albuquerque, NM 87191