Trending topics and exclusive insights from Asia in 2023

Where the HR community exchange ideas and strengthen connections

With change likely to remain a determining factor in the way we work in 2023, many organisations are beginning to consider the challenges and opportunities that a new paradigm of people and work is likely to bring. 

As organisations begin to develop people strategies that can succeed in a hybrid world of work, talent acquisition and retention, employee development and wellbeing, and leadership development, are just some of the key priorities for HR Leaders in 2023. 

For the last 21 years, HRM Asia has continued to support the HR community across Asia by bringing the latest news, trending topics and events from across the region. 

The HR Leadership Series is the best resource destination for HR Leaders as they navigate the trends and workforce changes that will shape the world of HR in 2023. Each month, HRM Asia’s editorial team will explore and analyse these topics through informative and thought-provoking articles, case studies and webinars. 

We invite you to be part of the discussion on how Asia’s HR community can address the workforce trends that will continue to shape the world of work in 2023. 

January 2023 | Creating a successful approach to flexible work

As employees continue to seek more flexibility in managing work and life, organisations will continue to redefine their remote and hybrid work strategies in 2023. 

High-performing organisations, however, are those who see beyond hybrid work design to provide employees with the flexibility to effectively manage their work and life requirements.

For flexible work to succeed, organisations must communicate with employees to create modernised policies that set clear guidelines about how, where, and when work is done, eliminates proximity bias, and allows all employees to produce their best work.  

February 2023 | ESG: What CHROs need to know

With more scrutiny on the level of social responsibility organisations display, building an effective business strategy around Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is becoming a growing priority. 

Human capital management has never been more important and CHROs have a crucial role to play in helping shape and share their organisations’ transparency about their human capital management strategy. 

With sustainable human capital management driving ESG priorities, CHROs must now consider ESG as a critical long-term business strategy for growth and risk protection, and play a greater role in managing the risks and opportunities in the ESG space. 

March 2023 | Talent acquisition and retention

To attract the best talent, organisations are continuing to deploy technologies such as AI, data, and analytics to streamline the hiring process, including pre-screening, interviewing, and onboarding new employees.

Organisations are also focused on creating a compelling employer value proposition and building a culture of belonging that empowers employees to feel included and supported. By providing career paths and talent development for employees at all levels, including internal mobility, organisations can also reduce turnover among high performers.

April 2023 | Supporting talent and career development through L&D

Learning and development (L&D) continues to be key for HR leaders to drive organisational growth.

By creating a culture of continuous learning, HR leaders can bridge skills gaps and equip employees with the skills needed for the future of their organisation and create a productive workforce that can continue to grow and succeed.

Upskilling and reskilling are also critical for employee retention, as more employees look for opportunities to develop themselves and their careers by picking up new skills and capabilities.

May 2023 | HR technology

To support their HR transformation, organisations will continue to depend on HR tech for key functions such as hiring, virtual onboarding, full automated payrolls, as well as managing employees and redefining workplace strategies.

This month also sees the highly anticipated HR Tech Festival Asia 2023 taking place from May 10-11. Asia’s largest HR technology and workforce management event will offer the best HR tech solutions from some of the leading HR tech solutions providers in the world.

June 2023 Administrative HR technologies

Technology has been the driving force in the automation of more and more HR tasks over the last several years and will continue to define HR operations this year.

This month, HRM Asia reviews the latest trends and technologies available to assist HR teams in reducing their workload across functions of payroll, time management, recruitment and onboarding, records management, employee benefits management, employee evaluations, and tax documentation.

July 2023 Leadership and change management

As the role of leadership continued to be redefined, HR leaders need to develop skills to lead business transformation and address workforce shifts.

Playing a key role in driving employee engagement, leaders need to display agility, empathy, and a human touch to inspire and enable employees to do their best work. In 2023, CHROs will need to step up to accelerate business transformation and elevate HR functions’ ability to enable talent outcomes and manage change for long-term organisational success.

August 2023 Employee experience: A personalised approach

Successful employee engagement strategies recognise what is important to each individual employee and deliver a personalised experience that makes employees feel welcomed, respected, and be allowed to thrive as a team.

With employee experience key to building an interconnected and future-ready workforce, organisations can evolve employee experience holistically by creating policies that drive personalised and unified employee experiences.

September 2023 Performance management – Making it work for employees 

When implementing workplace systems and processes, many organisations overlook the fact that success will largely depend on their people and how they manage these systems and processes.

Organisations should design transparent performance management processes that have a positive impact on the employee experience. A flexible approach that includes regular and on-going feedback can help to monitor and track performance, while managers should be encouraged to focus on results.

October 2023 Employee wellbeing: A holistic approach

With more employees facing burnout and stress than ever before, more organisations are looking for a holistic and proactive approach to employee wellbeing that focuses on mental, physical, and financial wellbeing.

By building and strengthening a supportive work environment and culture that prioritises employee wellbeing, organisations can help employees achieve work-life balance, disengage from work, and gain a greater sense of purpose, happiness, and fulfilment that then leads to better engagement and productivity.

November 2023 | Compensation and benefits trends

While salary and remuneration will continue to be critical to attract the right talent for organisations, this must now be combined with differentiators that matter to employees, including career growth, role expectations, as well as health and wellbeing benefits.

Reward and recognition can also help create a more engaged workforce. Besides ensuring pay equity, organisations can also introduce variable or on-demand pay models that focus on rewarding work done well, and recognise employees’ contributions through non-monetary ways.

December 2023 Talent management – Trends and priorities for 2024

An employee-centric strategy can play an imperative role in helping companies achieve successful results over a sustained period, driven by a highly engaged and motivated workforce.

As organisations begin to look ahead to 2024, HRM Asia reviews the key developments in the HR and workforce space in 2023 and look ahead to the trends and priorities HR leaders need to look out for in 2024.

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