Having a vision of the next trends in the world of Human resources It can undoubtedly be enlightening for those who work in this sector but also for those whose profession travels on other tracks. The world of work evolves faster than ever: change is inevitable and we must welcome it to make it our own. As a wave overwhelms us and strips us of old garments, giving us new clothes and it is up to us, HR professionals, to know how to grasp the opportunities that this golden wind offers us.

In this article you will find a wide examination of the outlook on trend of 2023: a mini guide resulting from a long-lasting experience in the field, data, reports, comparisons and, undoubtedly, passion for what you do and that allows us to read "between" and "above" the lines of a beautiful and complex world: The Persons.

A renewed wellbeing

In a period of continuous uncertainty, lockdowns taught us how to work hybridly: This means that one's profession can be partly carried out in the company, partly from home. Most employees stated that they felt happier and more productive when they could work in their home. Stress levels are lower within those workplaces with a corporate climate and a culture focused on wellbeing.

It is not surprising that, these two aspects, suggest looking at the near future with a lens focused on two factors that will probably grow: expansion and confirmation of the hybrid working mode and spread of the company welfare on several levels to increase or consolidate well-being within the organizations, with the aim of retaining talents and caring for their staff. A healthy workplace inevitably entails greater productivity and well-being for people.

The adoption of a culture "people-first" that values and respects employees as a whole, without seeing them as mere gears of the company machine, is fundamental, both ethically and strategically. It is expected, therefore, that the Psycho-physical needs people, increased company security and an appropriate response to needs and concerns.

Human resources divisions focus on providing resources and interventions for the mental, physical and financial needs of their employees and can do so by maintaining a safe and healthy working environment. Human resources can retain talented employees by listening to their needs, creating a culture of corporate trust and responding appropriately to demands and concerns.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Management

Consequently, the salary is confirmed to be only "one" of the many factors that guarantee the well-being of a worker. There are many focal points at stake and the inclusion of diversity stands out more and more: Diversity, equity, inclusion (EDI) is an initiative to eliminate discrimination, prejudice and harassment and to create a diversified and inclusive working environment that promotes innovation and growth.

According to Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Survey of PwC, 75% of respondents give value and priority to diversity, but 32% believe diversity is an obstacle to progress within the organisation. In addition, only 4% of companies meet expectations for a successful DEI programme.

The use of objective and quantifiable metrics to monitor and respond to relevant data will help human resources to work to integrate the DEI into the structure and culture of a company, rather than just a simple façade exercise.

In this regard there are many companies here in Italy, which in the last period have requested the Certification for Gender Equality: we of Ambire Benefit Society we have obtained the Certification and we are proud of it because it demonstrates our commitment to these issues. The creation of an inclusive and respectful environment of the diversity and sense of belonging of every stakeholder, internal and external, is for us the litmus map of transparency that fully reflects our culture, our values: Kindness, Sustainability, Inclusion and Innovation.

For these aspects, as well as to effectively guarantee equal opportunities and to reduce gender gap, it is very likely that, in this 2023, it will focus even more on inclusion throughout the life cycle of employees, being an increasingly important strategic lever both from the ethical point of view and therefore of the social responsibility of a company, and from the economic point of view, as a driving force for creating Value.

This leads to the implementation of policies and practices that support diversity and inclusion at each stage of the employee’s life cycle, starting with their first entry into the company:

• Recruitment: Ensure that job advertisements and recruitment commitments are inclusive and that the recruitment process is fair and impartial;
• Onboarding: Provide new employees with resources and support to help them succeed in their role and create a welcoming and inclusive working environment;
• Development: Provide inclusive training and development opportunities to help employees reach their full potential;
• Promotion and maintenance: Ensuring that all employees have equal opportunities for advancement and that the promotion process is fair and impartial, also because creating a favourable and inclusive working environment helps to retain different talents and prevent discrimination and harassment.

By focusing on the whole life cycle inclusion of employees, organisations can create a more diverse and inclusive workforce, better equipped to drive business success.

Metaverse: opportunities in the HR world

In 2023 it is possible that the concept of "metaverse" becomes more widespread and begins to have an impact on HR practices. The metaverse is a shared virtual space, created by the convergence of a virtually enhanced physical reality and a physically persistent virtual space, which includes the sum of all virtual worlds, augmented reality and the internet. This could have significant implications for human resources, as it allows new ways to work, train and collaborate.

What is being done now can be observed concretely and widely in the near future, for now we are looking at the construction of the bases of this side: For example, HR departments could start using virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies to offer more engaging and interactive training and onboarding experiences.

These technologies could also be used to facilitate virtual team building and networking events, allowing employees to connect and collaborate in a virtual space. In addition, human resources could start using the metaverse to host virtual work fairs and recruit talents from around the world, as well as to conduct job interviews and virtual evaluations.

The metaverse also has the potential to change the way human resources handle employee benefits and benefits. For example, employees may be able to use virtual currencies or tokens to access benefits such as discounted gym registrations or "digital travel" experiences. HR departments will have to adapt to these new possibilities and find ways to incorporate them into their strategies of employee involvement and loyalty.

Overall, the metaverse has the potential to revolutionise HR practices and the way we work, and it will be important for human resources professionals to stay up to date on these developments and consider how to exploit them for the benefit of their organisations.

Training: the role of soft skills

As Human Resources professionals, we Ambire Benefit Society we have the opportunity to play a key role in the formation of leaders and managers. This means being aware of how strategic a firm but at the same time kind leadership is: providing customer organizations with the training and development opportunities they need, especially on soft skills, allows them to effectively drive and manage teams. This translates into intangible value that enhances the entire organization. Some specific ways we can do this are:

• Identify skills and skills which leaders and managers need to succeed in their roles. This may involve conducting an assessment of needs and analysing data on skills shortages within the organisation;
• Provide continuous support and coaching to help leaders and managers apply what they learned in their roles: This may involve feedback sessions and coaching sessions;
• Encourage leaders and managers to take an active role in their development, setting personal learning goals and seeking learning opportunities on their own;
• Develop and implement suitable training and development programmes to the needs of leaders and managers. This may include learning opportunities in presence or online.

What will be the growing trend to best meet these needs?

The implementation of new technologies and approaches to learning, such as virtual and augmented reality and the microlearning, will increasingly be of importance to ensure successful training. It will also be a question of finding ways to make learning more personalised and relevant to the needs and objectives of individual employees.

Finally, we can say with a certain amount of security that human resources professionals will play a key role in redesigning workplace learning. This may involve cooperation with external suppliers and the development of internal content. In addition, data and analysis will be needed to monitor the impact of learning programmes and improve them and adapt them continuously over time. By reshaping on-the-job learning, organisations can better support the development and growth of their employees and drive the success company in terms of innovation.