Top trends in HR for 2023

Dawn Lanouette compiled a list of the top issues she believes that HR professionals need to be aware of in the coming year. In a state that passed a “ton of labor laws” this year, she says it can be hard for HR professionals to keep up. While her list is not all-inclusive, it targets a few things those professionals can be alert about.

Artificial intelligence in the hiring process is one area HR needs to stay on top of if their employer implements it, especially because there are both pros and cons to it, Lanouette says.

“I think more and more employers are looking for ways to automate that,” she says of the hiring process. That’s where artificial intelligence comes into play to streamline the process of recruiting and screening applicants.

That’s also where the pitfalls lie, Lanouette says, because employers need to test whatever process they use for bias. For example, she notes, studies have shown that women use different keywords on their résumés so employers should ensure their keyword choices are inclusive.

Remote workers, whose numbers increased significantly as a result of the pandemic, also pose concerns for employers and their HR professionals. What happens, for example, if a remote employee moves to another state without telling the employer? Lanouette asks. Along with making sure appropriate taxes are paid to the state, employers also need to be aware of differing labor laws in that state, she stipulates.

Pay equity and transparency is a hot topic heading into 2023, especially with New York City’s pay-transparency law going into effect earlier this year. The state also broadened its of pay-inequity protections to include more than just gender. It now includes race, national origin, age, creed, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Employers should look for any gaps and problems in their pay rates and job postings, Lanouette cautions.

“I think that’s probably a trend we’ll see a lot of litigation around in the coming year,” she says.

Gender identity is a top trend well beyond pay equity, Lanouette notes. Discrimination on the basis of gender identity can involve more than just pay inequity or not hiring someone, she says. That discrimination now includes things such as not using an employee’s selected pronouns and more.

Burnout remains a huge concern in the workplace and employers need a plan to address it. At a recent conference, Lanouette says, about half of the sessions presented focused on dealing with employee burnout.

“How do you accommodate an employee who has a doctor’s note for mental stress due to burnout?” she asks. Employers need to have a plan to both accommodate workers experiencing burnout and implement practices in the workplace to prevent it.

Cybersecurity remains a perennial top concern for human resources, Lanouette says. Between 75 percent and 90 percent of successful cyber attacks are due to human error, she says, so HR needs to continually assess training and best practices.

The HR department is the front line on these and many other issues, she says. “It’s very easy to become out of compliance quickly.”

Lanouette recommends HR professionals utilize resources available to them to stay on top of new laws and changes. Those resources include state and local chapters of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM); New York State Department of Labor and New York State Division of Human Rights websites; local chambers of commerce; and labor attorneys.