The working world, with all the demands and tasks it places on every individual, is changing at breakneck speed. The arrival of new technologies such as AI-based tools calls for a whole range of new competences from HR staff. Technical and digital competences play an important role in shaping the HR management of the future. In an increasingly connected and digital world, being able to handle technologies and innovations confidently is essential. That includes a certain level of basic digital knowledge and, depending on the position, role and industry, deeper specialist expertise as well, for example in working with AI or managing large volumes of data. HR analytics will also continue to grow in importance. But certain classic competences such as creativity, agility and problem solving will be in greater demand too.
With all this upheaval in HR, a high degree of willingness to change and adaptability matters: given how dynamic developments are, HR staff should be able to adjust quickly to new conditions and situations. At the same time it falls within their remit to make sure that the people in the company are able to keep pace, through appropriate training measures.
Learning new skills and technologies, adapting to new working methods, applying new tools, constantly acquiring new knowledge: to meet the demands of the modern working world successfully, lifelong learning now plays an even more central role in HR.
HR management can prepare its own staff actively and with focus for the challenges ahead, developing and encouraging their competences so that they are optimally equipped and can draw on their potential in service of the company goals. Working with big data, data protection, compliance and AI is an important part of this, combined with an eye on innovation. Because the rapid changes and dynamic developments of the modern working world can build up a certain pressure and raise stress levels, professional resilience management matters as well.
Which competences already matter most in HR management today?
- Technical competences: these include confident use of new technologies, platforms and software solutions, an affinity for IT and an appetite for trying out new developments and innovations. Solid competences in handling big data are indispensable for analysing and interpreting data, for instance in relation to performance indicators or in the recruiting process. That is the only way to reach well founded decisions quickly. To keep pace with all the AI-based technologies, HR staff should understand the basic concepts of AI and machine learning and be able to weigh up the risks and the opportunities. That allows them to apply AI-based tools, put them to profitable use in everyday work and tap their potential across the various work processes, or simply to encourage the organisation to engage with AI at all. An understanding of cyber security and data protection is important too, so that the implications for their own work processes can be derived and applied.
- Agility, flexibility and creativity: reacting faster and more flexibly to change calls for hybrid project management in HR. With a high degree of flexibility and creative competences, even complex challenges can be mastered quickly and competitively. The ability to apply design thinking is important for creating a better employee experience.
- Reflection and communication skills: teams are becoming more diverse and more international. Empathy and the ability to communicate clearly across cultures are indispensable here. Being able to put yourself in someone else's position and to reflect on your own behaviour are important cornerstones of successful collaboration.
Future ready competences should be actively encouraged in HR, and further training and qualification of employees should be implemented strategically in dedicated programmes, in order to achieve the company goals. THE MAK'ED TEAM supports mid sized companies with experienced HR consultants in developing dynamic HR structures and relies on agile development models.
You can find more on Human Resources and digitalisation in HR management here. You can also listen to our podcast on trends in HR here: Ann-Katrin Hardenberg, Managing Director at THE MAK'ED TEAM, and Bianca Selzer, Consultant in People Management, talk about HR trends such as AI and chatbots and share their impressions.
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