The dawn of a new year provides an opportunity for HR professionals to both reflect upon the past 12-months and to also consider how they will bring themselves to 2024. 

Recent years have brought dramatic change to society, the economy and businesses of all sizes and sectors. And there is little doubt that HR will play a pivotal role in understanding and responding to the rapidly changing contexts that their organisations and their people face.

As we move into 2024 a brighter spotlight will shine upon HR and how they bring themselves to these opportunities and challenges. Will it be with a sense of reactivity, survival and short-term fixing; or with a sense of responsiveness, openness and purpose?

The rise of A.I. appears to be the most significant trend referenced by HR commentators and is something that many predict will shortly disrupt entire professions, ways of working and organisational structures. HR will clearly have a vital role in their organisation’s response to such tumultuous change.

Technology is also anticipated to finally deliver on its promise to unleash HR from many of the more transactional aspects of the profession. Automation, self-service, and improved data analytical tools are seen as vital steps in enabling HR to fully embrace the more strategic aspects of their role. 

Yet, if 2024 does give rise to such technological liberation for HR, the question remains how prepared are HR professionals in bringing their full selves to the commercial and cultural priorities required for their organisations?

What is so often ignored is the realisation that while advanced technology may support HR in adapting to this ever-changing landscape; the ultimate source of any genuinely transformational response lies within the individual HR leader themself – not in any external technological fix.

The fundamental ingredient for 2024 lies in how HR will resource themselves when responding to the critical challenges that they will inevitably face. How do HR professionals help reduce employee burnout, whilst not experiencing burnout themselves? How do they ensure an engaged and connected workforce, whilst maintaining connection with their true self? How does HR support the ongoing re-engineering of their organisations in ways that are consistent with their core values and sense of personal integrity? 

Despite the ever-growing influence of technology on the modern workplace, it is not robotic automaticity that is demanded from HR – but for HR leaders to have the capability to connect to “self”, be conscious of their state and be led by a genuine sense of purpose-fullness. 

This is the moment for HR professionals to bring their attention inside, rather than habitually dispersing so much energy outwards, if they are to respond to the human needs of their organisations and colleagues in more meaningful ways.

Ultimately, HR’s ability to connect with their own humanity is now more important than ever before.

* To find out more on how The Mind at Work can support you in bringing purpose-full HR to you, your people and your organisation please contact us at [email protected]