Consider the following: We are now well into the new normal. And no department has had to make bigger adjustments than human resources, and todays HR trends are reflecting their new responsibilities. With the rise of remote work, a new commitment to improving the employee experience for frontline workers, and an ongoing labour shortage, the HR industry has had to re-imagine its entire approach to human capital management. Traditionally, human resources have been responsible for administrative tasks related to employees, like: Hiring Salary negotiations Recruiting Benefits Training and development Employee performance Payroll Personnel-related policies and handbooks While these fundamental tasks are still in place, HRs role has evolved along with the workplace. The average office occupancy rate is just 49% of what it was before the pandemic. HR is now managing employee experience strategies and the employee lifecycle for employees both near and far. That means much of this work is virtual. This has become a top priority in the age of an unprecedented labour shortage and an all-out war for talent: according to Forbes, there were two open positions for every unemployed person in 2022. HR teams are upping their reliance on digital tools for managing people and using data for a more human-centric approach, especially for frontline workers who have long been left out of the thinking behind employee engagement and retention strategies. In all areas, digital tools help improve business outcomes. According to the Boston Consulting Group: Improving the digital maturity of the human resources function is increasingly critical to conducting business efficiently and competing for talent. The trends in human resources management are laser-focused on leveraging technology to accommodate new ways of working, boosting retention, and making a better employee experience for every type of worker.

Question: Focusing on any TWO of HRs traditional tasks listed above, critically discuss with the aid of examples, a strategic approach to each of the chosen tasks. 50 Marks