Lanteria HR system: www.lanteria.com

1. LIKELY TRENDS
IMPACTING HR
IN 2018
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2. AUTHOR
BOB MENDONSA
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Bob Mendonsa is a published author, accomplished
speaker and trainer and holds numerous certifications,
including a SPHR, Myers Briggs Certification, Strong
Interest Inventory Certification and certification in the
Center for Creative Leadership 360 suite. In addition to
his consulting work, he is currently serving as Human
Resources Director for Wellspring Family Services.

3. SEXUAL HARASSMENT
With the barrage of credible sexual harassment
accusations in the news, you should expect more people
to come forward with complaints in 2018. This would be a
good time to review your anti-harassment policies and
ensure they meet the Supreme Court’s criteria for an
affirmative defense.
First, you must have a policy that gives people multiple
complaint channels. Second, you must take action to
prevent harassment from occurring, which you can do
through prevention training and re-disseminating your
policy. Third, be prepared to thoroughly investigate all
complaints with support from counsel. Remember,
harassment law applies to all protected classes, so don’t
limit your policy or your training to sexual harassment.
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4. TIGHT LABOR MARKET AND
COMPENSATION
The competition for talent will likely remain unabated in 2018. The data
on wage growth is sending mixed signals, but every tight labor market
places upward pressure on wages, so have a strategy in place to balance
the need to pay new hires more with the equally pressing need to
maintain internal equity. Compensation may or may not be a motivator,
but believing that you are underpaid is a strong motivator to leave for a
better deal elsewhere.
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5. TIGHT LABOR MARKET AND
RECRUITING
It is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit new hires in
many fields, and with the Trump Administration’s sour
attitude towards immigration, it will be a lot tougher to
find highly skilled STEM graduates. While you will likely
have to place more effort in attracting the passive
candidate, don’t forget that once you have connected
with the candidate, you have to have a good story to tell
about why your company is a great place to work.
Do an honest assessment of what you have to offer and
where you fall short in the area of attracting and retaining
staff - and include not just the obvious things like
benefits, work-life balance compensation, but the things
that cause most people to leave: feeling disempowered,
poor management, lack of career development and the
absence of real learning opportunities.
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6. CHAOS IN HEALTH CARE
In response to the federal government’s confusing and chaotic attempts
to change health care law, insurers are already raising rates. Expect your
health care renewal rates to rise again next year and be prepared to
balance benefit cuts with additional plan choices. Look at your full range
and benefit offerings and figure out whether or not you can strengthen
other benefits - especially those related to time off and telecommuting.
Work-life balance can be a strong selling point in a retention initiative.
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7. DELAY IN EEO RESOLUTIONS
The Department of Justice shows little interest in
prioritizing EEO complaints, so expect the already long
waiting time for findings to get even longer.
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE
APPLICATION OF DATA IN HR
Large companies will attempt to apply big data to HR
problems, and the main risk there is using big data to
screen and evaluate candidates, which could lead to
adverse impact issues. Facts still matter in HR, and
questioning the validity of any data through rigorous
analysis of methodology and common sense.
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8. INCREASING DEMAND FOR
MOBILITY AND FLEXIBILITY
More people want to work when they want to work and where they want
to work, and to dismiss this trend as “millennial silliness” is suicidal. If you
manage people according to their contributions, increased workplace
flexibility becomes a no-brainer, especially for exempt employees. Make
sure you have a strong, non-bureaucratic performance management
process to ensure that flexibility results in a honest day’s work.
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9. THANK YOU
HAVE A NICE DAY!
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