2024 HR Priorities and Challenges: Insights from the Field
As HR teams reflect on their 2023 successes and revisit shortcomings, insights for crafting a winning 2024 strategy emerge. Examine what strategies HR professionals will prioritize, and what business challenges they expect to face throughout the coming year.
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The employee experience and the future of remote/hybrid work are key priorities for HR professionals this year
Organizational cultural opposition to change as well as talent retention and turnover will be top challenges in 2024
Most HR respondents are confident HR will play a pivotal role in their organization’s success in 2024
Employee experience and the future of remote work are key priorities
Employee experience (62%), change management planning (44%) and future of work strategy (42%) are the three most commonly selected strategic priorities for HR teams in 2024.
Based on your personal knowledge, what three strategic priorities will be most important to your HR team in 2024? Select all that apply.
Succession planning 32% | Recruiting/Workforce planning 32% | n = 50 HR technology strategy 28% | DEI strategy 24% | Total rewards strategy 14% | Other (fill in) 1%
*Other: Skills and internal mobility
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Question: What 2023 challenge did you learn the most from, and what lessons will you apply to your 2024 strategy?
Adapting to remote work environments, maintaining employee engagement and implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives were significant areas of focus [in 2023]. In 2024, many are looking to apply lessons learned by investing in digital tools for collaboration, prioritizing mental health and well-being and leveraging data analytics for informed decision-making.
The importance of creating effective remote work policies, because remote work is remaining relevant even after the pandemic, and addressing the challenges of it is important.
Talent retention and opposition to change will be leading challenges for HR
Over half of HR professionals say organizational cultural resistance to change (56%) will pose one of the biggest challenges to achieving strategic priorities in 2024.
Which of the following do you think pose the biggest challenges to achieving those priorities in 2024? Select all that apply.
Team morale 28% | Wider economic issues 24% | Regulatory changes 20% |
Technical debt 14% | Supply chain disruptions 8% | Other (fill in) 4% | None of these 2%
*Other includes: “Organizational structure and culture” and “Team morale is down due to recent layoffs”
62% of respondents say talent retention and turnover is the most significant talent-related obstacle to achieving HR’s strategic priorities this year.
Which talent-related issues, if any, do you think pose the most significant obstacles to achieving your HR department's top three strategic priorities in 2024? Select all that apply.
Talent attraction and recruitment 38% | Team diversity and inclusion 26% | Adjustment to in-office working requirements 16% | None - I don’t foresee any talent-related obstacles 6% | Other (please specify) 2%
*Other: “Talent identification and career pathing” n = 50
Question: Do you have any final thoughts to share on your personal opinions about your HR department's priorities and planning for 2024?
Organizational culture is the foundation of any successful organization. It is the shared values, beliefs and behaviors that guide employees in their work. HR departments can play a key role in shaping and promoting a positive organizational culture by developing and implementing culture-building programs and initiatives.
The recession in the US, which led to insufficient work for our employees, triggered a reduction in the workforce. In 2024, we'll make our decisions faster, including RIF decisions, and we'll communicate more openly and frequently with our workforce to mitigate leadership trust issues. We'll continue building an external talent pipeline and training our managers.
HR teams are confident they will make a business impact this year
92% of HR professionals feel confident that the HR department will play a pivotal role in their organization’s 2024 success.
How confident, or not confident, are you that your HR department will play a pivotal role in your organization's success in 2024?
Not at all confident 0% | Prefer not to say 0%
Question: What 2023 challenge did you learn the most from, and what lessons will you apply to your 2024 strategy?
Drive and embrace change during a transformation period. It is important to keep the end goal in mind, be honest and transparent about the need for the changes being introduced and develop tools and processes to support others during the change. Be mindful of how the change you drive impacts other users and what other competing priorities they have.
In their own words...
Question: Do you have any final thoughts to share on your personal opinions about your HR department's priorities and planning for 2024?
In the various locations where our company operates, the external geopolitical and economic environment is highly volatile and unpredictable, [the] HR function has to be flexible, antifragile, and ready to support [the] business and employees.
2024 is a watershed moment for any HR department. It will be imperative for HR departments to understand how they attract the best talent, keep costs optimum, yet retain & motivate employees. Leadership skill development of C-suite and senior leaders along with succession planning will also be critical.
Respondent Breakdown
