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Before the year slips away, let’s reflect on 2023.
Maybe you’ve regretted your RTO mandates or you’re dealing with pay transparency rumblings. Either way, it’s been a busy year for HR. We asked people leaders the lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Connectedness. “One of the challenges we’ve all faced this past year has been around maintaining connection in the workplace, and making sure that employees feel they have the support they need to navigate the challenges of work and the challenges of life. That trend is probably going to continue…As people leaders, how can we provide the right level of support for our staff, as they navigate all of the stuff at work and in the world?”—Mila Singh, VP of people and culture at Catchafire
Mental health. “Because of the last few years, I’ve seen an increase in mental health challenges with employees and how much that has affected them at work, so this year, I was inspired to go back to grad school and study mental health counseling in order to understand better with the lens of what that means for people at work.”—Britta Larsen, VP of people operations and culture at Bespoke Post
Work means more. “The biggest lesson I’ve learned is how people see work so much differently now…This change requires new ways to make the connection between employees and work more satisfying and fulfilling. It’s not just the tasks, it’s creating an environment that fits with purpose, diverse values, aspirations, well-being, and the right leadership.”—Kirsten Ludgate, chief people officer at HP
Shifting expectations. “The pre-pandemic notion of the in-office 9–5 has shattered, but everyone has different ideas about what new way of working we need to build from the wreckage. I had to learn how to navigate these opposing ideas to help create a flexible workplace solution built on honest, transparent communication.”—KeyAnna Schmiedl, chief human experience officer at Workhuman
New must-have. “Flexibility has moved from being a sought-after benefit to being part of a great organization’s standard operating procedure. But this has proven to be a challenge…So, organizations that haven’t leaned into the voice[s] of employee[s] on the topic of flexibility will feel the challenges even more, eroding the trust that is so critical.”—Hannah Yardley, chief people and culture officer at Achievers