HR Trends for 2018

Changing HR traits leading to evolution of HR practices…

2018 will be the year HR pushes for more employee-centric, intelligent, and easy-to-use digital
innovations. The emerging trends are a result of how we view HR today, what are our priorities and
what we intend to achieve. As the outlook of HR changes due to a close integration with business, it also
results in the evolution of HR practices.

How is the outlook of HR changing..

There has been an evolution in the way HR thinks and makes decisions. Following are a few changing
traits of HR:

 HR will be Employee Centric – We are soon moving to an era where employees are at the
center of key decisions and are active participants while defining key policies and practices. This
is driven by giving employees the power to decide and practices/policies are created based on
employee feedback.
 HR will be Agile – Agility is a mindset, which enables HR to become more nimble and versatile in
uncertain times. The rapid change in business needs, macro environmental factors, employee
demographics etc. prompt an agile response from HR.
 HR will be Business Focused – HR is not only about HR practices, but also about the value it
creates. HR will work with business objective in mind, where HR customers are not primarily
internal stakeholders but external customers as well.
 HR will Reinvent– HR even today is compliance and process heavy. There is a need to replace
outdated systems and processes to bring efficiencies in the way HR operates today. Better,
tangible and effective solutions will be driven across functions to address problems with legacy
methods, processes and systems.
 HR will have diverse skill set – HR will be about diversity of skills. The HR team will be a
combination of techies, marketers, lawyers etc. to name a few. This diverse portfolio of HR team
will be a result of close integration with business and the need to be able to solve business
problems.

How are HR practices changing based on the new HR outlook…

When we incorporate these traits, it leads to evolution of HR practices. In addition, the development of
technology and presence of a workforce of millennials, prompts us to re-look at old problems in a new
way. Following are some trends w.r.t. HR practices.

1. Leveraging Technology in HR – The changing technological landscape is disrupting HR practices

as well. This is paving way for automation, digital experiences and use of digitization to increase
productivity. Some emerging trends include use of Artificial intelligence for recruitment and
employee experiences. At MakeMyTrip as well, we have implemented an AI bot called Amber
for assimilating employee feedback and experiences. Amber seeks and records feedback shared
 by employees at regular intervals, which helps the HR team in proactively gauging and
addressing employee needs in the organization.
Another trend is the use of technology for gamification, which has been well explored in
learning and development and is now making its way to other areas of HR.
Employers will be soon using games for initial screenings, selection processes and as an
additional factor in the decision-making process . 

2. Evolving HR Analytics – People analytics will continue to grow as a key area in HR in 2018.
Analytics will not only be about looking at the past data, but also about looking forward. This
signifies focus on predictive analysis and drawing inferences and action areas from these
predictions. In addition, many market research tools and practices continue to make their way
into HR analytics.

3. Unique Benefits and employee wellness – Many unique benefits are being offered by
employers to cater to the changing workforce. Also, there is a greater focus on employee
wellness, which includes workout facilities, health awareness camps, and apps for mental health
care to name a few. Benefits are also being looked at from an inclusivity point of view and by
adding provisions for individuals with diverse needs.
A unique benefit adopted by MakeMyTrip is the introduction of an uncapped leave policy, which
empowers employees to manage their work life effectively.

4. Social HR – Use of social media platform such as Facebook at workplace and other internal and
external platforms, to drive collaboration and communication will be a part of HR priorities. This
is an innovative and engaging approach to internal communication where employees act as
content marketers. Difference in internal and external communication is quickly blurring.
Facebook at workplace is being used at MakeMyTrip for all internal communications. This is
more interactive, engages employees and provides real time feedback to the HR team.

In conclusion, the core HR beliefs and values are rapidly changing. HR is focused on creating value and
this is changing the way we create processes, approach problems and find solutions.