5 Actions HR Should Execute Today to Take 2022 by Storm

By Jared Alexander

If you’re in HR, you know change is a prominent part of your job description. As we move into a new year, it’s important to reflect on your organization’s policies and procedures that are still performing well, edit those that are outdated or unnecessary, and add some that are gaining importance. Why wait until New Year’s? Here are 5 actions HR should execute today to take 2022 by storm. 

Increase Technology Investments

Mobile solutions in recruiting and hiring are must-haves and will grow in importance next year and beyond. Applicants expect a faster, richer, more intuitive and responsive candidate experience that only technology can provide.

By streamlining ease of use and strategically broadening the communication avenues into mobile, businesses help make the candidate comfortable and confident from the beginning.

From the other side,mobile technology provides extensive information about the user and the process itself. This is important because data is being used more often to make business decisions. Using data metrics in recruiting and hiring empower HR to make logical, fair, and unbiased decisions. By logging how each candidate performs at each stage of the hiring process, data helps spot issues that would have taken much longer to uncover otherwise. 

Take Action! Start researching and investing in technological solutions to achieve greater productivity and an expanded candidate experience. 

Expand Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives

Diversity and inclusion are always important and essential for a modern, high-functioning workplace. Creativity and ingenuity stem from different points of view, and a company’s culture grows and thrives when people from different genders, races, ages, and religions participate. There’s no downside to focusing on making your organization more diverse and inclusive. 

Take Action! Start at the very beginning by using diverse job boards to uncover a larger talent pool. Highlight your company’s commitment to diversity in your branding and on your website’s career page. Further advance your initiative by asking for diverse referrals, conducting training, and encouraging mentoring programs. 

Hone Drug-Screening Policies

Once upon a time employers screened for marijuana just like other drugs. Depending on where your company is located, those days are either already gone or fading fast. This doesn’t mean you should eliminate marijuana screening altogether. It’s true that there are states and cities that have legalized cannabis and prohibited screening for marijuana use during the employment screening process. Still, there are valid reasons to continue screening for recent marijuana use such as pre-access, post-accident, or reasonable suspicion- just like you would for recent alcohol use. 

Take Action! Look at your current drug screening policy and make edits to keep it relevant and compliant with current laws, while still protecting your workplace. 

Devote Efforts to Compliance

The stakes are too high to be lax with vague or inconsistent compliance processes. Adhering to strict and consistent compliance processes is always a smart practice for HR. Understand and follow all FCRA guidance, maintain proper documentation, set consistent processes, and conduct hiring and onboarding in a relevant and fair manner. Avoid the salary history question and adhere to the “ban the box” laws in the cities and states where you operate. Send pre-adverse and adverse action letters to applicants who you choose not to hire in whole or part because of information returned on their background check. 

Take Action! Closely review your compliance standards and make sure everyone involved in the hiring process knows how to follow them every single time. 

Implement COVID Testing

HR is tasked with finding solutions to human issues, and the pandemic falls into this category. Research COVID testing options to create a healthier workplace by developing a comprehensive program for your organization. New and changing testing requirements must be addressed to keep your business as safe as it can be. 

Take Action! Put low-tech (questionnaires, temperature checks) and high-tech (rapid tests, daily apps, monitoring) measures in place to ensure you meet all requirements for testing and reporting to protect your business from the spread of COVID. 

Constantly making sure your HR best practices are in place and working well can seem tiresome, but look at it as a distinct opportunity. Staying in tune with the trends and regulations keeps your company ahead of its competition. Start putting these plans in place and you’ll be miles ahead at the start of the new year.