In this article, we’ll explore the best online Human Resources courses and HR classes to help you enroll in the right one for you. 

Contents
Why do an online HR course?
Top online HR courses to enroll in
1. HR certificate programs (AIHR)
2. Introduction to Modern Human Resource Management (Alison)
3. Human Resource Associate Professional Certificate (HRCI/Coursera)
4. Human Resources Essentials Certificate Program (eCornell)
5. Various HR courses (OpenLearn)
6. Certificate in Human Resource Management (Oxford Home Study Centre)
7. HR Management and Analytics (Wharton Online)
8. BernieU (BerniePortal)
9. HR Skills® Fundamentals (MindEdge)
10. International Human Resources Management: An Introduction (Coventry University/FutureLearn)
11. HR Fundamentals (CIPD/FutureLearn)
12. Human Resource Certificate Program (Corexcel)
FAQ

Why do an online HR course?

There are many benefits to completing online HR courses and HR certificate programs:

• Flexible learning: Online courses make it possible to learn from anywhere in the world. Self-paced courses allow you to plan your learning journey around your current job or commitments, while live courses online courses mimic the energy and community of a real-life classroom.
• Cost-effectiveness: Many online HR courses offer enrollment at a fraction of the cost of a formal degree. These courses are shorter in duration and enable you to specialize in the areas of HR that interest you.
• Long-term access: Many of these HR courses online will include long-term or even lifetime access to the content, which means you can revisit specific modules any time you need a refresher.
• Building self-discipline: Completing an online, self-paced course requires motivation and discipline, which are great qualities to develop and carry with you throughout your career. 
• Getting financing from your employer: If you’re already employed as an HR professional, there’s a strong chance you can get your organization to pay for you to complete an online HR course or certification. Employers want to invest in you because, in the long run, this is an investment in the business.

Top online HR courses to enroll in

Please note that this list is compiled based on publicly available information. We have not tried the courses ourselves, with the exception of AIHR’s courses.

1. HR certificate programs (AIHR)

For any aspiring or existing HR professionals looking to complete a Human Resources certification online, The Academy to Innovate HR offers enticing certificate programs and courses. AIHR’s offering includes upskilling in numerous areas of HR, from the HR Generalist Certificate Program to certificates in HR metrics, compensation & benefits, and more.

What you’ll get

Providing a mix of on-demand video lessons, downloadable guides, and access to a supportive community of HR professionals around the globe, AIHR’s online certificate programs are designed to help you deliver a tangible business impact. You’ll also earn a digital certificate upon completion. The most popular programs include:

• People Analytics
• HR Business Partner 2.0
• Organizational Development
• Learning and Development
• Artificial Intelligence for HR.

AIHR is recognized as an accredited HR program provider with the Society for Human Resource Management, the HR Certification Institute, the Human Resources Professionals Association, and the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources.

2. Introduction to Modern Human Resource Management (Alison)

Alison is a platform featuring free online courses from the world’s leading experts across a wide range of industries and business sectors, including HR. Their HR courses online cover specialist areas including organizational behavior, talent acquisition practices, and understanding and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace.

What you’ll get

Alison’s Introduction to Modern Human Resource Management course helps learners strategically manage their HR responsibilities, maximize employee performance, and contribute to meeting the short and long-term objectives of the business. 

In this course, students will identify the main responsibilities of HRM managers, outline the recruitment and selection process, describe current and future HR needs as technology transforms the world of work, discuss how diversity plays an important role in organizational success, and cover the need for shifting strategic plans and goals as internal and external environments change. 

Alison’s course is CPD-accredited and takes between 1.5 and 3 hours (on average) to complete.

3. Human Resource Associate Professional Certificate (HRCI/Coursera)

Coursera offers 100% online learning from the world’s best universities and companies, through a mix of online courses, professional certificates, university certificates, specializations, and guided projects. HR-related courses include people analytics, generative AI in HR, and Human Resources management and leadership. One of the most popular courses is the Human Resource Associate Professional Certificate by HRCI.

What you’ll get

HRCI Human Resource Associate Professional Certificate is the perfect beginner-level online course for anyone looking to launch their HR career – no degree or previous experience required. It’s a series of five courses including talent acquisition, learning and development, compensation and benefits, employee relations, and compliance risk and management. 

Through a mix of engaging videos, interactive activities, and peer-reviewed projects, learners can complete the course at their own pace, earn a certificate from HRCI, and build credit toward an eligible degree. By committing just hours of learning a week, students can complete the course in 5 months.

4. Human Resources Essentials Certificate Program (eCornell)

Online university eCornell has Human Resources certificate programs developed by faculty from Cornell University’s ILR School. The courses within these programs bring together the insights and work of leading academic researchers with instruction grounded in practice and focused on real-world application.

Cornell has a professional certificate to match the career objectives of HR professionals, whether they are new to HR, an accomplished HR practitioner, or an HR leader or business partner. Programs include HR essentials, HR management, and diversity and inclusion.

What you’ll get

eCornell’s Human Resources Essentials certificate program is perfect for anyone new to HR or looking for a deeper understanding of HR functions. You will learn how to align employee performance with organizational goals, counter bias in the workplace, foster a coaching culture, listen actively and process feedback, interview effectively, and address workplace behavior issues. 

The program is completely online and self-paced, with the option to participate in small facilitated discussions with industry peers. It can be completed within 3 months based on 3-8 hours of study each week.

5. Various HR courses (OpenLearn)

OpenLearn is an initiative from the Open University. They’re on a mission to break down barriers to education by reaching millions of learners each year through free educational resources, including courses on all things HR.

Learners can take free courses and earn a digital badge or statement of participation as evidence of their learning. Courses range from introductory to advanced.

What you’ll get

Available HR online courses include:

• Developing your skills as an HR professional
• Employee relations and employee engagement 
• Hybrid working
• Workplace learning (coaching and mentoring)
• Diversity and inclusion in the workplace
• Risk management.

Each course has clear learning outcomes, is split into manageable modules, and contains a list of suggested additional resources. Learners can go through the content at their own pace, track their progress, and upon completion receive a statement of participation.

6. Certificate in Human Resource Management (Oxford Home Study Centre)

OHSC is a private online college and the leading specialist provider of distance learning professional courses in the U.K. The institute provides accredited home study courses across the world and is set up by a team of professionals with over ten years of experience in delivering home-based study programs. They offer several online HR courses.

What you’ll get

Their Certificate in Human Resource Management QLS Level 2 and Level 3 courses are designed for professionals looking to begin or advance their career in HR, working in any sector at any level. Recommended study hours are 125 hours and 200 hours, respectively, and students can enroll at any time.  

A digital OHSC certificate of completion will be awarded to students who successfully complete the program.

7. HR Management and Analytics (Wharton Online)

Wharton Online is part of the Wharton University of Pennsylvania. The platform offers courses to millions of learners who use them to advance their careers in a variety of fields, including HR. Wharton Online courses are taught by the same world-renowned thought leaders and scholars who teach in Wharton’s on-campus programs.

What you’ll get

If you’re looking for online HR management courses, Wharton’s HR management and analytics program might be suitable for you. The program combines theory with practical application via video lectures, real-world examples, applications to data sets, and debriefs of learnings. 

Modules include:

1. Intro to people analytics and performance evaluation
2. Motivation and reward
3. Tasks, jobs, and systems of work
4. Strategic staffing
5. Collaboration networks
6. Talent management and analytics
7. Managing your career as an HR professional.

It’s suitable for mid- to senior-level HR and learning development professionals, general managers, business heads who crossover into HR management, and business performance professionals. This self-paced online program requires 4-6 hours of study per week over two months. 

8. BernieU (BerniePortal)

BernieU offers a collection of free online HR certification training programs, all of which are pre-approved for HRCI and SHRM credits. Their aim is to provide high-value HR tools and resources that help employers build great places to work. 

What you’ll get

Courses on offer include:

• HR ethics
• HRIS technology and tools
• Payroll basics for employers
• HR hiring guide
• Retention essentials
• Benefits administration.

Each course requires no more than 90 minutes of study and can be enrolled in and completed at any time. Each course is split into a series of smaller lessons, making the content easy to digest. 

9. HR Skills® Fundamentals (MindEdge)

MindEdge is an online learning company that offers professional development and continuing education courses across a wide range of fields. Founded by educators and digital learning experts, MindEdge focuses on flexible, accessible online learning designed to help individuals gain practical skills and knowledge. Their catalog includes a variety of courses for HR professionals.

What you’ll get

The HR Skills® Fundamentals Certificate is an online, self-paced program that combines 8 courses covering hiring, interviewing, onboarding, HR law, training and development, and more. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to explore a career in HR or managers who supervise employees. Students who commit 1-10 hours of study per week can expect to complete the program in 2 weeks, but they will have 720 days to complete it.

10. International Human Resources Management: An Introduction (Coventry University/FutureLearn)

FutureLearn offers online courses, certifications, and degrees from over 200 world-class institutions and educators, such as UCL, Cambridge, and the CIPD. HR courses include HR fundamentals, green HR, how to become an HR manager, HR analytics, employment law, and more.

What you’ll get

The International Human Resources Management course by Coventry University is 100% online and self-paced, requiring just 3 hours of study per week over 2 weeks to complete. The course covers an intro to HR, the role HR takes in a business setting, the HR practices of multinational companies, and a peer review of an international business’s HR practice. It serves as a great introduction to HR for anyone who wants to study HR management at a higher level.

As part of the International Business and People Relations program, this course contributes to the BA in International Business degree.

11. HR Fundamentals (CIPD/FutureLearn)

Also hosted through FutureLearn, the CIPD’s HR Fundamentals program offers an introduction to the field of Human Resources and helps people develop the skills they need to become successful HR professionals. 

What you’ll get

The course includes an exploration of what HR means, HR practice, people and strategy, performance and engagement, and recruitment. By the end of the program, learners will understand the importance of HR and the key role it plays in organizations, apply basic principles of workforce planning, and know how to get the best out of employees. 

This online course can be completed in five weeks with three hours of study per week, and all students who complete the program will receive a digital certificate. 

12. Human Resource Certificate Program (Corexcel)

Corexcel offers a range of online courses, employee assessments, certifications, and facilitator materials for both employees and employers to help people develop and excel in their careers. They offer a range of online HR courses, including a certificate in HR management, an introduction to HR management, and detailed explorations of HR specialities including compensation and benefits, employee rights, and performance management. 

What you’ll get

The Human Resource Certificate Program combines seven individual courses and covers key areas of HR, including HR management, compensation, data, employee selection, equal employment opportunity, performance management, and talent management.  

This is a fully online, self-paced program that can be enrolled in at any time. It includes professional videos with transcripts for learning, interactive review exercises, and an ask the expert features where students can submit questions directly to the program experts. 

A final word

So, how do you select the right HR course for you?

The best online HR course for you depends on your current career status, your budget, and your desire to grow. 

For example, if you’re an aspiring HR professional who currently works in a different industry, you might value a free introductory course that requires a small hourly commitment each week. On the other hand, if you’re currently already working in HR, you might be looking for a course that includes certification, and you may be able to get your organization to pay for your training, in which case, you can enroll in a more premium offering. You might also be an HR practitioner looking to specialize in a particular field; therefore, completing a course within this field would make the most sense. 

Take time to research the options we’ve rounded up above, contact companies for more information about each program’s features, and make the decision that feels right for you.

FAQ

The post 12 Best Online HR Courses To Take in 2025 appeared first on AIHR.

This article explores the importance of continuous performance management, its key elements and benefits, and HR’s role in the process. It also discusses how you can successfully implement it at your own organization to benefit your workforce and the company.

Contents
What is continuous performance management?
The benefits of continuous performance management
HR’s role in continuous performance management
The process of continuous performance management
Traditional vs. continuous performance management
7 steps to implement continuous performance management

What is continuous performance management?

Continuous performance management is an ongoing approach to managing employee performance. It aims to improve engagement, development, and alignment with company goals and, as such, focuses on conversations, feedback, and growth. The process involves managers and employees continually discussing the latter’s goals and job performance.

A typical continuous performance management process involves managers providing their employees with constructive, real-time feedback and aligning employee development goals with broader business objectives. 

Traditional performance management: Fast facts 

• Only 2% of CHROs think their performance management system works.
• Less than 33% of employees believe performance reviews are “very fair and equitable”.
• Only 6% of organizations are rethinking performance management and making significant progress toward changing it.

The benefits of continuous performance management 

The benefits of continuous performance management include: 

• Increased engagement: In a continuous performance management process, feedback is more frequent and timely, which can boost employee engagement.
• Better manager-employee relationships: Managers and employees communicate regularly, which enables them to build stronger, healthier working relationships. 
• Early detection of issues: If an employee or a manager encounters potential issues, ongoing communication enables them to address them before they escalate quickly. 
• Faster development and skills building: Continuous performance management allows employees and managers to detect and close skills gaps early.
• Easy adaptation to changing business environments. In a well-structured continuous performance management process, individual objectives and goals align with those of the team and the organization. This means that if, for example, due to changing market conditions, the company goals evolve, those of individual employees can evolve with them more easily too.

Continuous performance management: Fast facts

Compared to companies with annual performance management, organizations that use continuous performance management report significant improvements in their ability to:

• Engage the entire workforce (58% vs. 37%)
• Ensure enterprise agility (65% vs. 35%)
• Increase performance from all employees (58% vs. 35%)
• Retain high-performing talent (63% vs. 41%)
• Keep organizational focus on top business priorities (54% vs. 33%).

HR’s role in continuous performance management 

Continuous performance management requires a well-structured process to function effectively. While this may look different for every organization, HR’s role involves some common elements:

Developing a performance management framework

This framework defines how a company structures and supports efforts to monitor and improve performance. For practical tips about how to develop such a framework, explore AIHR’s guide on how to develop a performance management framework.

Offering training on feedback

It’s essential to train managers and employees to give and receive constructive feedback. For in-depth information and best practices in this area, check out AIHR’s ultimate guide to continuous feedback.

Integrating performance and talent management

Performance management should be part of the organization’s larger talent management strategy and integrated with areas such as learning and development (L&D), promotions and rewards, and succession planning.

Collecting data

You need to track and measure the effectiveness of your continuous performance management process. You can use different methods, such as feedback sessions, performance management software, or pulse surveys.

The process of continuous performance management 

While implementation may vary, every continuous performance management process should include these core elements:

Regular goal setting and updating

Start by setting clear goals that align with team and company objectives. These goals help employees understand their priorities and how their work fits into the bigger picture. Review and update goals regularly to keep them relevant as business needs change and to enable employees to respond to new challenges.

Frequent check-ins

Schedule regular check-ins between managers and employees to discuss progress and remove roadblocks. These conversations should be short, focused, and happen often enough to keep goals on track. Informal chats between meetings also help build trust and keep communication open.

Real-time feedback

Don’t wait for annual reviews to give feedback. Provide it in real-time so employees can adjust and improve right away. Include feedback from both managers and peers to give a complete view. You can use a variety of free feedback tools to make this an easy process that’s part of everyday work.

Development tied to business goals

Employee development should support company goals. When skill gaps come up in check-ins, help employees build those skills in ways that also benefit the business. This ensures personal growth leads to better job performance and business results.

Growth instead of ratings focus

Move away from once-a-year ratings, and focus instead on helping employees improve continuously through regular feedback and support. This can lead to stronger skills, better performance, and greater contributions to company goals. This can, in turn, help maximize employee retention and job satisfaction.

Traditional vs. continuous performance management

Continuous performance management focuses on regular, real-time feedback and ongoing development, while traditional performance management relies on infrequent, often annual, formal reviews. The table below provides an overview of the key differences between the two:

7 steps to implement continuous performance management

Making the shift from traditional performance management to continuous performance management requires some preparation. Here are seven steps to consider:

Step 1: Start with leadership buy-in

A successful project must start with leadership fully endorsing the initiative to ensure a strong foundation. Their buy-in ensures resources, support, and alignment. A lack of leadership buy-in, however, will likely hinder progress and possibly lead to the project failing.

Step 2: Create a timeline

Structure the transition from traditional to continuous performance management by determining its stages and timing. Questions to ask yourself include:

• By when do you want to roll out the new system? 
• Are you going to start with a pilot first (highly recommended)?
• What performance management method do you currently have in place?
• What framework do you want to use moving forward? 

Step 3: Train managers

Managers play a crucial role in continuous performance management. Ensure they receive training on areas like coaching, feedback, and goal-setting so they can apply their learnings consistently, confidently, and fairly to their performance management process.

Step 4: Set up a simple system

Choose, develop, and set up a simple continuous performance management system. You can use software for this, but if your organization has a limited budget, you can also initially opt for a manual process. This system will help standardize the process and ensure fairness for all staff.

Step 5: Pilot the process

Starting small, especially with a potentially large project like shifting your performance management process, is a good way to test the waters. Pilot the new process in one department first before deciding on a company-wide rollout.  

Step 6: Gather feedback and adjust

Collect feedback about the continuous performance management process from everyone involved in the pilot (and from everyone else once you’ve rolled out the new method). This will help you decide how to adjust the new process as soon as possible.  

Step 7: Make check-ins part of the culture

Schedule regular check-ins to build trust between managers and employees. To make them a part of the organization’s culture, emphasize them in your employer branding, during the employee hiring and onboarding processes, and when you onboard and train managers.

To sum up

Continuous performance management is a more innovative way to keep your people engaged, motivated, and aligned with business goals. By focusing on regular conversations, real-time feedback, and ongoing development, you build stronger relationships and address issues before they escalate. This not only helps employees grow but also drives better business results.

Start small, train your managers, and build a system that supports open communication and continuous improvement. When done right, continuous performance management can become part of your company culture and help you turn high potential into high performance.

The post What Is Continuous Performance Management: Your 101 Implementation Guide appeared first on AIHR.

Let’s have a look at 15 future HR skills you need to start building now!

Contents
The need for future HR skills
1. Change management and change consulting 
2. Risk management
3. Scenario planning
4. People analytics
5. AI literacy
6. Stakeholder management
7. Management of strategic deals and alliances
8. Integrating cultural differences
9. Ethics and data privacy
10. Critical and systems thinking
11. Negotiation skills
12. Inter-departmental collaboration
13. Resilience and being SAFE
14. Project management
15. Organizational design
Where to start: Prioritize and build future HR skills

The need for future HR skills

As an HR practitioner, you are creating strategies to build and retain a robust and diverse workforce that will help your organization succeed while juggling administrative and compliance tasks. This leaves you little time to look ahead and consider what skills you need to start developing now to be successful on your HR career path.

However, upskilling should still be a top priority for HR practitioners.

According to a report by IBM, 70% of HR executives say that the HR function is ripe for reinvention. Research from BCG has found that HR is one of the highly disrupted industries in terms of skills. That means that HR roles and the skills they require have changed rapidly and significantly, and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future.

According to our AIHR competency research, only 41% of HR professionals are able to improve efficiency and drive business value through skilled use of technology and data.

What’s more, 79% of leaders believe that AI adoption is critical to staying competitive, with HR being key to driving this process. It is clear that a lot (more) is already expected of HR compared to a few years ago.

Because of the accelerated needs of the business, as well as HR’s central role in upskilling and reskilling the workforce and supporting the business through these changes, HR needs to change first. And this means that HR professionals need to upskill in order to drive that change.

Changes such as digitalizing and automating administrative processes, creating new HR operating models, and boosting employee experience, for instance. With the right skills, you can be the key to advancing your organization to a new era of work, tackle workforce issues with confidence, and become your best HR self.

So what are the skills that will help you do that?

Let’s dive in.

1. Change management and change consulting 

Organizational change has become a constant in companies today. If it wasn’t already a reality before recent years, ongoing economic volatility and geopolitical conflicts have made it unavoidable. Org change comes in many different shapes and sizes:

• Implementing new technology
• Changing organizational design and structure from, for instance, divisional to matrix
• Cultural transformation
• Creating a new department
• Redesigning a process.

No matter the size or extent of the organizational change, it’s necessary for HR professionals to understand at least the basics of change management and develop change management skills so that they will be able to lead and support the changes happening in their company.

Future relevance

Digital transformation is an ongoing process, not a destination. Change is the new normal, and HR professionals need to be prepared.

Looking at the increasing frequency of changes within organizations, it isn’t hard to see why change management is an important skill to have in your future-proof HR toolkit. Just think about the shift to hybrid work, the continuous rise of AI, and the need for massive up- and reskilling of people.

In all of these cases, HR will need to help employees navigate change. For example, they’ll need to deal with resistance, provide training on new technologies and/or processes, and communicate the need for the change and the change process itself.

“Change has always and will always have two sides of the coin. There’s a technical side of the coin. How do we design, develop, and deliver the solution to meet the issue or opportunity in front of us? And then there’s the people side of the coin. How do we ensure that people engage, adopt, and use the solution we brought forward?” remarks Tim Creasey, Chief Innovation Officer at Prosci, on our podcast All About HR.

“[B]oth HR and change management run into this misconception that … the people side of change is the soft side of change. But oh, no, it’s by far the much harder side,” concludes Creasy.

How to develop change management skills

What you can do right now:

• Subscribe to the Change Management Blog and start reading right away
• Read our articles HR and Change Management, HR’s Guide to Digital Change Management
• Download and explore our change impact assessment template
• Follow a course on Change Management for HR with HCI and learn how to navigate culture change with AIHR.

Please note that we have not tried this course and other courses mentioned in this article ourselves, with the exception of AIHR’s courses.

​​2. Risk management

Risk management for HR is about analyzing the risks that a complex workforce might pose to the business. This then enables HR professionals to prevent issues or resolve them quickly if they do arise.

Now, what is a complex workforce? Pretty much any workforce in today’s world of work comprising a combination of ‘traditional’ employees, contractors, temps, and other contingent workers who may or may not be working remotely across multiple locations with different laws and regulations.

Risk management in HR covers a wide range of areas. These include compliance risks, cybersecurity threats related to employee data, reputational risks tied to workforce behavior, and operational risks like labor shortages or skills gaps. It requires ongoing collaboration with legal, IT, operations, and leadership teams to spot potential problems early and take action before they grow.

Future relevance

According to a survey by Deloitte, identifying and managing new risks is a priority for 61% of organizations in terms of risk management. 

As such, we’re seeing a shift in HR’s involvement in risk management. Where organizations would often ask their HR people, ‘What has happened and how did we react to it?’, they are now increasingly asking them, ‘What do you think is going to happen and how can we prepare for that?’ HR practitioners need to be able to recognize potential threats and build resilience into everyday HR practices.

In other words, HR’s involvement was previously more from a compliance point of view and is now moving towards a planning-ahead kind of role; hence the relevance of this skill for future-looking HR professionals.

How to develop risk management skills

What you can do right now:

• Download an HR audit template to start identifying key risk areas of your people processes
• Conduct a SWOT analysis to identify external factors that could affect your organization.
• Find peers with experience in risk management and have a (virtual) coffee with them to hear about their experience
• Team up with a department in your organization that is experienced in risk management, or a dedicated risk manager, to organize a workshop on the basics of risk management for your HR team
• If you’re part of an HR community, drop the question in there (and if you aren’t part of an HR community yet, join one!)

3. Scenario planning

Closely tied to risk management, scenario planning is about preparing for multiple possible futures, not just predicting the most likely one. For HR, this means thinking ahead about how workforce needs, skills, policies, and structures might change under different conditions.

Rather than reacting to disruption after it happens, scenario planning encourages HR teams to think proactively. Whether it’s a shift in labor market trends, emerging technologies, regulatory changes, or economic instability, scenario planning helps organizations stay flexible and resilient.

“I haven’t met many HR functions which are running scenario planning. And the reason I’ve been given, which I think is a ridiculous reason, is that people don’t want to be scared,” says Naomi Stanford, Organization Design author & consultant. However, scenario planning is very helpful for future-proofing your workforce and your organization.

Future relevance

The pace of change in business environments isn’t slowing down. Scenario planning will become even more important as companies need to navigate uncertainty with greater speed and smarter strategies.

For HR specifically, building workforce scenarios, such as rapid growth, mass reskilling needs, or regional disruptions, will help organizations make better talent decisions ahead of time. HR teams that can run effective scenario exercises will be better equipped to influence strategic planning at the leadership level.

They can go through various scenarios to prepare for what the future holds. For example, what if half of the workforce becomes unable to work due to another pandemic? Or what if the frontline workers can’t come to work anymore because of a global energy crisis?

How to develop scenario planning skills

What you can do right now:

• Read our guide Scenario Planning: What HR Needs to Know
• Start small: sketch out 2–3 different futures for an upcoming workforce or talent initiative
• Join strategic planning sessions at your organization and observe how different future assumptions are made
• Practice thinking in “what if” terms: How would you respond if major assumptions about your workforce changed tomorrow?

4. People analytics

No, not every HR professional needs to become a people analytics specialist. A certain understanding, however, of the value data can bring to the organization and the ability to demonstrate this are important. So is the ability to use the insights gained from this data to make data-driven decisions. 

This is the essence of evidence-based HR, the practice of making decisions supported by data to help ensure that you can reach the desired business outcomes.

Future relevance

As more and more organizations become data-driven, so do HR departments. BCG puts it this way in their report: 

“People Analytics is becoming more and more integral to HR professionals, as better data are available inside and outside the company on current and prospective employees, skill levels, career paths, and the results of new ways of working. Thus, data skills are increasingly requested across many HR roles.” 

BCG also reports that companies see the growing importance of these topics and that they are actively looking for HR colleagues who possess people analytics skills, among others. Companies are increasingly investing in HR analytics tools – the market is likely to grow from $3.61 billion to almost $12 billion within the next ten years.

Examples of emerging data skills in HR mentioned in the BCG report are Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, and KPIs.

How to develop people analytics skills

What you can do right now:

• Read our Essential Guide to People Analytics
• Join the People Analytics: Data-Driven HR group on LinkedIn
• Follow the Analytics in HR page on Linkedin
• Explore a dashboard or analytics tool you use at work
• Listen back to the People Analytics Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• Check out our popular Certificate Program: People Analytics.

5. AI literacy

AI literacy for HR means understanding how artificial intelligence technologies work, knowing where they add value, where their limitations lie, and being able to use them in daily HR practices. You don’t need to become a technical expert, but you should be comfortable using tools that automate tasks, generate insights, and improve decision-making across areas like recruitment, workforce planning, learning, and employee engagement.

HR professionals need to recognize the opportunities AI offers, not only within HR, but also within the wider organization. At the same time, they must stay alert to risks like bias, privacy concerns, over-reliance on automated decisions, and the need for human oversight.

Future relevance

As AI becomes a core part of HR technology, AI literacy will move from a nice-to-have to a must-have skill. HR will be expected to evaluate AI tools critically, make decisions about their use, and help employees adapt to working with AI-driven systems.

Understanding AI’s capabilities will also empower HR to better collaborate with IT, legal, and leadership teams on ethical and strategic decisions around AI use. In short, AI-literate HR professionals will play an important role in shaping a future of work where technology enhances, rather than erodes, the human experience.

How to develop AI literacy

What you can do right now:

• Read our comprehensive AI in HR guide
• Take our Which AI Adoption Persona Are You in HR? quiz
• Enroll in AIHR’s Artificial Intelligence in HR Certificate Program
• Learn the basics of how machine learning, natural language processing, and predictive analytics work (no coding required!)
• Explore AI features of the HR tools you’re using at your organization.

6. Stakeholder management

As HR is moving more and more from an administrative to a strategic role, stakeholder management is gaining importance in creating effective people strategies. Stakeholder management refers to building and maintaining relationships with people involved in or affected by your work activities.

HR professionals need to balance the interests of various stakeholders: different types of employees, managers, senior leadership, but also the wider society.

Future relevance

To successfully navigate work relationships and create impact, HR must develop solid stakeholder management skills. These include stakeholder mapping, engagement, and communication. In short, building relationships with stakeholders requires empathy and the ability to deal with conflict.

Something else worth mentioning when it comes to stakeholder management is the ability of HR to influence both up and down the organizational ladder.

“If you don’t have that ability to influence and to communicate, to make a compelling argument and back it up and stand by it firmly, it’s going to be really hard,” observes Lars Schmidt, founder of Amplify and Redefining HR Accelerator, and author of the best-selling book, Redefining HR.   

How to develop stakeholder management skills

What you can do right now:

• Download our Stakeholder Management for HR Playbook
• Do a stakeholder analysis exercise with our free template
• Check out this Quick and Dirty Guide to Stakeholder Mapping
• Read this short article with 6 tips on Stakeholder Management for HR.

7. Management of strategic deals and alliances

The management of strategic deals and alliances refers to partnerships, joint ventures, and mergers & acquisitions, among other things. 

An example of a strategic alliance/partnership is the one between Spotify and Uber. Both companies joined forces to improve the customer experience by offering personalized music to Uber riders.  

In all of these types of, often cross-border, collaboration, HR has a significant role to play. Take a situation in which two companies merge, for example. There will be a different way of working and culture in each organization. Not to mention the way each company approaches performance management, learning and development, and compensation and benefits.

The biggest risk – and therefore, a task for HR – perhaps lies in employee turnover. Studies show that approximately 50-75% of key managers leave voluntarily within two or three years after a company has been acquired. 

Aligning culture and HR processes, such as the ones just mentioned, takes time. It requires managing different types of collaboration in and outside the organization in order to implement and/or adjust existing HR practices.

Future relevance

The number of mergers and acquisitions globally has remained high. Over 325,000 mergers and acquisitions have been announced since 1985, with 15,000-25,000 transactions taking place every year in the U.S. alone in recent years.

According to McKinsey, the M&A outlook is getting more complicated. This is due to, among other things, uncertainty about the geopolitical situation, fluctuating inflation, and more regulatory scrutiny.

However, as pointed out in the McKinsey article, even if we would see fewer mergers and acquisitions going forward, companies are then likely to move towards more strategic partnerships, joint ventures, and alliances instead. 

In other words, being able to manage strategic deals remains an important skill to have in your future-proof HR toolkit.

How to develop strategic deal management skills

What you can do right now:

• Start building stakeholder management skills
• Speak with peers that have gone through an M&A process and ask them about their learnings
• Read our HR in Mergers and Acquisitions: What HR Leaders Need To Know article
• Check out the resources on M&A on the Trompenaars-Hampden-Turner website.

 HR is one of the most disrupted industries in terms of skills.

– BCG

8. Integrating cultural differences

In an increasingly globalized world, HR professionals need to understand how cultural differences impact the business, global interaction, and day-to-day team effectiveness.

Knowing how to manage cultural differences and building cultural fluency at your organization is also vital when you want to build truly inclusive and productive workplaces.

Future relevance

You might think that integrating cultural differences is a minor concern because your company isn’t a large multi-national or based in multiple countries across different continents.

Nevertheless, you probably already have various nationalities and ethnicities represented in your organization. Or perhaps you work with gig workers and contractors based in another country or continent. 

Here at AIHR, for example, we are based in the Netherlands, but we have people from all over the world working at our company, and we’re still a scale-up.

Given the current situation on the job market and the difficulties that many companies encounter in trying to find talent, the likelihood of people with different cultural backgrounds joining your organization only increases.   

How to develop skills linked to the management of cultural differences

What you can do right now:

• Read the Culture Map by Erin Meyer
• Check out the 7 Dimensions of Culture that affect the process of managing across cultures 
• Read our guide How HR Leaders Can Develop Cultural Fluency in the Workplace
• Learn how to build an international team and how to solve cultural conflicts & dilemmas in our DEIB Certificate Program.

9. Ethics and data privacy

As we’ve seen above with people analytics, organizations and HR departments are becoming more and more data-driven. As such, they also collect more data on their candidates and employees. A good example of this is an employee listening strategy, which might involve surveys and sentiment analysis. AI adds another layer, making it easier to generate insights from vast amounts of workforce data and surfacing patterns that weren’t accessible before..

But the more data we collect—especially with the help of AI—the more responsibility HR has to use it wisely. How that data is handled has a direct impact on employee trust. If workers feel that data is being used in unclear or intrusive ways, it can damage morale and even cause people to leave. In fact, about 60% of Deloitte’s survey respondents said their organization’s attempts to collect and use worker data with AI have increased turnover.

HR professionals need to lead the conversation on ethical data use from compliance to people advocacy. It’s not just “Are we allowed to do this?” It’s also “Should we?” Continue by asking yourself questions like: How do we ensure our organization doesn’t misuse the data it collects from its employees? How can we protect our employees from this?

Future relevance

We saw that data skills are increasingly requested across many Human Resources roles. From the moment companies start gathering data about their employees (or customers, for that matter), a discussion about ethics and data privacy should be held, and a policy should be put in place. 

HR professionals will increasingly be expected to navigate both the technical and human sides of data use, balancing innovation with fairness and accountability. This also means understanding how different local and international regulations apply, and how to build policies that reflect legal obligations as well as organizational values.

How to develop skills linked to ethics and data privacy

What you can do right now:

• Check out the 7 Guiding Principles for Data Ethics in HR (and download the guide)
• Discuss ethics and data privacy matters with peers who already have experience with this
• Get familiar with the basics of key data protection laws like the GDPR, CCPA, or other local regulations
• Audit one of your own HR processes through an ethics lens. Choose a data-heavy process (e.g., engagement surveys, hiring assessments, or performance tracking) and evaluate: Are we collecting more data than needed? Are we transparent? What would this feel like as an employee?

10. Critical and systems thinking

Let’s start with a brief definition of each term: “Critical Thinking involves examining and challenging thoughts or ideas, while Systems Thinking focuses on examining the effects of actions or ideas on a system.”

Critical thinking is applied to, for example, interviewing new job applicants without bias and assessing large quantities of data to draw logical conclusions. Systems thinking helps HR see how different aspects of their function and their organization interact with and influence each other.

Both types of thinking can help HR professionals with problem-solving and enable them to deal with complexity. As such, they can become more flexible in their way of thinking, which allows them to find new solutions, make informed decisions, and be more effective. 

Future relevance

As we saw earlier, HR is becoming increasingly strategic. In strategic conversations (with internal business partners), critical thinking is central to the HR professional’s role.

There’s another reason why critical and systems thinking are indispensable for future-proof People teams. In today’s world, there is a lot of information available that HR professionals need to:

• Be able to view an issue from multiple angles
• Identify relevant sources of information
• Be aware of their own biases
• Consider how various challenges are interconnected, and
• Be able to make the right decisions.

How to develop skills linked to critical and systems thinking

What you can do right now:

• Read this article on why HR leaders need to be systems thinkers
• Watch this 4-minute video with 5 tips to improve your critical thinking
• Take an online introduction course to critical thinking
• Subscribe to the Systems Thinker and read their Introduction to Systems Thinking.

11. Negotiation skills

Negotiation is a critical skill for HR professionals, whether dealing with candidates, employees, leadership, or external partners. It’s about reaching agreements that satisfy different interests without damaging relationships. Disagreements and competing priorities are common at work, and negotiation helps bridge gaps in a way that moves everyone forward.

In HR, negotiation shows up in many areas: salary discussions, managing offers and counteroffers, advocating for employee needs, and balancing organizational goals with workforce expectations. It requires clear communication, active listening, and the ability to find solutions where everyone feels heard and respected.

Future relevance

With the growing number of strategic partnerships, alliances, and joint ventures and the importance of stakeholder management, the ability to negotiate at work will continue to increase.

When asked about their preferred capabilities for their people, CEOs, MDs, and Sales Directors have identified negotiation skills as their top preference.

Negotiation and persuasion skills are also important in recruitment – and will remain so in the future – since they are unlikely to be automated, and the added value of the ‘human touch’ here is high.

How to develop negotiation skills

What you can do right now:

• Check out this post and video on who is leading a negotiation
• See if this Influence and Negotiation Skills for HR workshop is something for you to do
• Speak with peers about how they negotiate and influence 
• Read these 10 tips on successfully influencing more in your HR role.

12. Inter-departmental collaboration

Many organizations are already familiar with the challenges created by organizational siloes. If HR departments are to work effectively, create impact, and add even more value, they will need to collaborate with other departments, such as IT, Finance, Marketing, Communications, and PR.

The role of HR in inter-departmental collaboration is not only to engage in such collaboration themselves but also to facilitate and drive this across the organization, enabling teams to work together. 

Future relevance

As more organizations are moving towards a remote/hybrid/multi-location way of working, inter-departmental collaboration becomes even more important. Furthermore, collaboration positively impacts the bottom line – it helps increase company sales by as much as 27%.

In some cases, this hybrid reality adds an extra dimension to the mix, namely that of asynchronous working. This, in turn, requires HR professionals to develop asynchronous communication skills to effectively serve their organization and facilitate a smooth inter-departmental collaboration for their and other departments.

How to develop skills related to inter-departmental collaboration

What you can do right now:

• Check out these best practices and tips on asynchronous communication
• Listen to our podcast with Jessica Hayes on the full remote work model and asynchronous communication  
• Grab a coffee (or another type of beverage) with people from other departments or department managers to see how you can improve your collaboration or how to get started.

13. Resilience and being SAFE

HR professionals are under a lot of pressure. They are often in ‘crisis-solving’ mode, dealing with challenges like increasing workforce complexity in an unpredictable market and talent shortages.

At the same time, organizational expectations of what HR teams should deliver—both now and in the near future—have never been higher. HR is expected to respond quickly, lead change, and support both the business and its people through constant shifts.

Future relevance

Considering the challenges of recent years in combination with these high expectations, it’s no wonder that more and more studies show that a worryingly high percentage of HR professionals are on the verge of burnout (no less than 98%, according to a Workvivo study).

Therefore, perhaps the single most important skill for HR to work on is building resilience. This, in combination with making sure they are in their best possible form both physically and mentally, is extremely important.

Julie Turney, the founder of HR@Heart Consulting Inc., has come up with SAFE HR, a mini framework for HR practitioners to take care of themselves. SAFE is an acronym for:

• Self-awareness
• Act
• Forgive
• Educate

She held a heartfelt TED talk about being SAFE, which you can watch here, and also discussed why HR needs more support in the All About HR podcast.

In short, if HR professionals don’t take care of themselves first, they won’t be able to take care of the people in the rest of the organization. 

How to develop resilience

What you can do right now:

• Get started on the four elements of a SAFE HR professional 
• Watch this video about building resilience as your superpower
• Take good care of yourself: eat well, get enough sleep, and exercise.

14. Project management

HR project management is about using and applying project management skills and principles for HR purposes to streamline work and achieve project goals. 

More specifically, project management for HR involves various types of projects. A project can, for example, be the development and roll-out of an employee listening strategy, the creation of a DEI dashboard, the implementation of an HRIS, or even organizing a team event.

Future relevance

Apart from specific HR projects, People teams are also becoming increasingly involved in strategic, organization-wide projects that could, for instance, impact how employees work.

For these projects to be successful, it’s important that HR professionals are able to scope the project realistically, divide tasks and oversee the execution, and implement learnings in their next project.

Human Resources professionals also need to have the skills to continuously improve and refine workflows and processes and eliminate redundancies within them. This continued iteration of HR processes is a different kind of project management and the key to long-term success. That’s where agile HR and lean HR project management approaches come into play.

How to develop project management skills

What you can do right now:

• Read our HR Project Management Guide
• Download our HR project plan templates to manage your next project confidently
• Try following the project management methodology in your next small project, e.g. a team-building event for your People department
• Meet with experienced project managers within your company and ask them to share their learnings and tips 
• Learn how to design and implement an agile and project-based approach to HR with our HR Manager Certificate Program.

15. Organizational design

Simply put, organizational design is the creation of roles, processes, and structures to ensure that an organization can achieve its goals. HR plays an important role in this because they have insight into, among other things, work design, job design, and organizational culture. They can, therefore, act as a partner to the organization.

Given the challenges currently facing the business, the design, development, and implementation of operating models, processes, and technologies to enable organizational capability and delivery are skills that are going to be increasingly important for HR professionals. With these skills in place, HR practitioners will be better able to help their organization operate effectively in the ever-changing business environment.

Future relevance

Organizational design remains a major focus for HR leaders today. As businesses adapt to shifting markets, emerging technologies, and changing workforce expectations, the need to rethink how work is structured continues to grow.

Additionally, companies that have successfully undergone an organizational redesign experience meaningful improvements in many areas, such as performance management, business processes, governance, and culture.

Businesses often hire organizational design consultants to help them outline how their organization should be structured to improve performance. HR practitioners then use their own OD skills to translate the high-level into reality. This goes hand in hand with HR change management skills.

How to develop skills related to organizational design

What you can do right now:

• Watch our Learning Bite on Organizational Design for HR
• Read our complete guide to organizational design
• Check out these 7 organizational design courses to follow
• Learn about organizational design models you should know, and 17 types of organizational design and structures.

Where to start: Prioritize and build future HR skills

Fifteen skills may seem like a lot, and the reality is, not every HR professional needs to master all of them. What matters is identifying the ones most relevant to your role, career goals, and business context, and building from there.

Step 1: Identify what matters most in your role and team

Start by asking yourself:

• What problems or priorities does my team focus on right now?
• Where is the business heading, and what kind of HR support will it need?
• Are there skills I’ve been relying on others for that I’d like to handle myself?
• Where do I want to go in my HR career?

Here’s a rough guide:

• If you work in HR operations, project management, risk management, and data privacy may be key.
• In a People Partner or HRBP role, negotiation, change management, and organizational design might take priority.
• If you’re moving toward HR strategy or analytics, focus on AI literacy, people analytics, and scenario planning.

Step 2: Choose one or two skills to focus on

You don’t need to tackle everything at once. Pick 1–2 skills that align with your current or next role, and go deeper.

Step 3: Build them into your day-to-day

Try this phased approach to skill development:

• Month 1:
  • Do a quick self-assessment
  • Attend a webinar or read an article on each of your focus areas
  • Identify an upcoming project where you can apply the skill.
• Month 2–3:
  • Take a course or workshop (formal or informal)
  • Set a small goal: e.g., run one AI-driven sourcing experiment, or map a simplified scenario plan with your team
  • Ask for feedback from someone experienced in that area.
• Month 4+:
  • Start sharing what you’ve learned with your peers
  • Look for opportunities to mentor others or scale the approach team-wide
  • Revisit your progress and consider tackling another skill.

Over to you

The role of HR within the business is evolving, and so are the skills that Human Resources professionals need to be effective and help organizations transform and succeed.

Many of these skills are part of the wider HR competencies that help you become a T-shaped HR professional. T-shaped HR professionals have a broader set of skills beyond their specialization, which enables them to lead the organization through different challenges and times of change.

Embracing continuous learning and developing relevant future HR skills will empower you to be a productive HR practitioner. What’s more, you’ll be a key player in shaping the organizational strategy and transforming the role of HR in boosting organizational performance and bringing the business into the future.

The post 15 Future HR Skills You Should Start Building Now appeared first on AIHR.

To help you with this – and save you time – we’ve done the heavy lifting. We’ve selected 33 HR blogs and newsletters that we believe are worth a browse. Some of them may be familiar to you, others may not, but there’s something for everyone on our list.

Happy reading!

Contents
AIHR
FactorialHR
Improve Your HR (The Evil HR Lady)
Ongig
Paycor
BerniePortal HR Blog
HiBob
Glassdoor for Employers
Training Magazine
People Managing People
Built In
Hppy
HR Bartender
WebMD HealthServices
ADP Resource Center
HR Dive
Namely
The Employer Handbook
TalentCulture
O.C. Tanner
Cornerstone
CareerPlug
Select Software Reviews
CultureAmp
Dr. John Sullivan
HRZone
Workleap
Vantage Circle
Human Resources Today
Unleash
Charthop
Harver
HR Executive

1. AIHR blog

At AIHR, we focus on all things HR, including policies and processes, the latest technology, complex HR matters, people analytics, business cases, and opinion pieces. We aim to make our content as practical as possible by including plenty of examples, actionable tips, illustrations, as well as input from industry experts.

What’s more, we run an HR Glossary to help you navigate all the HR terminology you need to know.

How often do we publish?
Usually, there is a new piece of content three or four times a week.

Where do I subscribe?
You can subscribe to the newsletter and browser notifications here and follow us on Linkedin.

2. FactorialHR

If you want to find practical information on holidays in different U.S. states, read interviews with HR practitioners, or get how-to guides on different HR processes, the FactorialHR blog is an excellent resource for you. It also has a handy search function to help you find just the right article on whatever topic you’re interested in.

How often do they publish?
Several times per week.

Where do I subscribe?
Bookmark the blog here.

3. Improve Your HR (The Evil HR Lady)

If you’re looking for real-life HR questions – like “How can I change a company’s racist culture?” or “How to have the ‘Bathroom conversation‘ at the office” – answered honestly and with a good dose of snark, Improve Your HR (formerly the Evil HR Lady) is your go-to blog.

Suzanne Lucas – the brain behind the blog – helps HR professionals demystify their Human Resources department. She’s direct, has a wealth of advice, and reading one of her articles is guaranteed to make you smile.

How often do they publish?
Every couple of days.

Where do I subscribe?
You can subscribe here (column on the right-hand side).

4. Ongig

Ongig specializes in helping organizations create effective and inclusive job descriptions, which extends into their blog. There, you’ll find plenty of resources on how to write better job titles, ads, and descriptions, as well as diversity and inclusion statements. Expect to find a mixture of fun, lighthearted posts, including “15 Funny HR Quotes [to make you Laugh or Cry!]” and “12 Job Title Ideas for ‘Someone who does Everything.”

How often do they publish?
A few times each week. 

Where do I subscribe?
Check out the blog here.

5. Paycor

If you’re interested in compensation and benefits, compliance, or people management, Paycor’s blog is a great resource to follow. The HR & Payroll software company publishes insightful and practical articles aimed mainly at HR practitioners from small & medium businesses. A handy search function helps you find the most relevant content.

What’s more, their One Minute Takeaway section summarizes the most important points of the article, which helps you better retain what you’ve just read.

How often do they publish?
Several times a month.

Where do I subscribe?
When you open an article, you can subscribe on the right-hand side.

6. BerniePortal HR Blog

If you’re a people professional who wants to stay up to date with emerging HR trends, compliance updates, recruitment, and retention – basically everything you need to help keep your organization running smoothly – then you might want to hop over to the BerniePortal HR Blog.

The page has a very easy way to search for a particular topic, and for U.S.-based People professionals, it has an elaborate compliance section.

How often do they publish?
Once or several times a month.

Where can I subscribe?
You can go to the blog homepage, scroll down a bit, and subscribe on the right-hand side.

7. HiBob

HiBob’s blog hosts a wealth of HR resources on a variety of topics, like culture, strategic HR, performance, and hybrid work. Whether you’re just starting out your HR career or you’re a seasoned professional, you’ll find practical, helpful advice in the articles and guides.

How often do they publish?
There is typically at least one new piece of content per week.

Where do I subscribe?
You can find a monthly newsletter subscribe box on the Resource Center homepage.

8. Glassdoor for Employers

You probably know Glassdoor as the platform where employees and former employees review their employers and as a job board. However, they also have a platform for those who are on the other side of the employee-employer relationship: Glassdoor for Employers.

Their content is mainly focused on recruiting and retention, and with all the feedback left by employees through their platform, you can imagine they’ve got excellent advice to share. But Glassdoor for Employers also has useful tips on how to improve your company’s Glassdoor profile, which can definitely come in handy for your employer branding efforts.

How often do they publish?
They usually publish several articles each month.

Where do I subscribe?
You can subscribe here. 

9. Training Magazine

Training Magazine is a great resource for everything related to professional development and news for training, HR, and business management professionals. 

Expect to find a mixture of specific L&D-related content, topical subjects like ‘Should U.S. companies adopt a four-day work week?’, ‘4 wellness-driven ways to optimize a training room’, and also some unexpected content, ‘How to get creative juices flowing with flower arranging.’  

How often do they publish?
Several times a week.

Where do I subscribe?
You can bookmark the page here.

10. People Managing People

People Managing People delivers actionable advice on HR strategies, leadership, and organizational development. The blog features articles, guides, and podcasts aimed at enhancing management practices and employee engagement.

How often do they publish?
The blog is updated with fresh content several times a month.

Where do I subscribe?
Go to the People Managing People homepage and click the subscribe button in the top right corner.

11. Built In

Connecting people with tech companies based on shared values, Built In isn’t your typical job board, nor is it a usual HR blog. You can find a lot of high-quality content focused on different areas and aspects of technology, but also on topics like remote work, recruiting, people management, employer branding, or diversity and inclusion. If you’re looking for well-researched, actionable articles to read, Built In is the right place for you.

How often do they publish?
Multiple times per week.

Where do I subscribe?
You can subscribe here.

12. Hppy

Hppy is a platform that features articles from various contributors that have HR expertise, are industry experts or experienced professionals, as well as individuals passionate about HR. Their content focuses on employee engagement, talent management, workplace happiness (hence the name), and the latest HR trends. 

A lot of the pieces featured on Hppy are case studies and articles based on real-life experience in the HR industry, but there are also opinion pieces on various workplace issues. 

How often do they publish?
Multiple times per month.

Where do I subscribe?
Check out the blog here. 

13. HR Bartender

Sharlyn Lauby, a.k.a. The HR Bartender, focuses on topics related to the workplace, not just Human Resources. On her blog, she often answers reader questions about anything from what happens during an employee investigation to providing job references during interviews.

Lauby’s articles are characterized by their practical content and casual tone. She also has a podcast where she interviews HR influencers about how to be a better leader and manager, the employee experience, and career advice.

How often do they publish?
Between two and four times per week.

Where do I subscribe?
You can subscribe here (scroll to the bottom of the page).

14. WebMD HealthServices

WebMD Health Services offers a blog that’s rich with insights on employee wellbeing, engagement, and workplace culture. The content includes practical tips for HR professionals, such as recognizing signs of struggle in high-performing employees and participating in stress awareness initiatives.

How often do they publish?
There’s new content each week.

Where do I subscribe?
Scroll to the bottom of the WebMD Health Services blog homepage to enter your email address and subscribe.

15. ADP Resource Center

ADP is one of the world’s largest and oldest HRM software and service providers, so you can be sure that they know what they’re talking about with regard to HR. Their Resource Center features content and research on the workforce, pay, performance, health & safety, and more. ADP puts the information into a broader context of employment laws and guidelines, making the articles very constructive.

How often do they publish?
Several times per month.

Where do I subscribe?
Check out the Resource Center here.

16. HR Dive

More than a blog, HR Dive is a leading industry publication and platform that provides an original analysis of all the latest events and trends in the HR industry. The platform features fresh (U.S.) news about anything related to the world of work and the labor market. What’s more, it also has dedicated sections for Talent, HR Management, and Learning, to name a few. 

How often do they publish?
Several times a day on weekdays. 

Where do I subscribe?
You can subscribe to the HR Daily Dive and Talent Daily newsletters (which you’ll get every day) or to their dedicated Learning, Compliance, Compensation & Benefits, and Diversity & Inclusion weekly newsletters here.

17. Namely

Namely’s articles are a great and comprehensive read, especially if you want to keep up-to-date with breaking news in the HR industry and are interested in payroll, benefits, and compliance.

How often do they publish?
Usually at least once per month.

Where do I subscribe?
You can subscribe here. 

18. The Employer Handbook

Where other HR blogs don’t want to talk about the ‘boring’ legal side of things, the Employer Handbook only talks about the legality of tricky HR questions. And Eric B. Meyer, the author of the blog, has a way of making the so-called dull stuff interesting and sometimes even fun. As he puts it himself, “if you want a nerdy employment-lawyer brain to help you solve HR-compliance issues proactively,” he’s there to help.

How often do they publish?
Several times a week.

Where do I subscribe?
You can subscribe here (on the right-hand side).

19. TalentCulture

Alongside their #WorkTrends podcast, TalentCulture also publishes valuable written content on HR strategy, technology, leadership, and more. You’ll discover a wealth of information on emerging trends in the world of work, as well as the role of HR leaders in business. In short, Talent Culture would be a brilliant addition to your HR blogs reading list.

How often do they publish?
New articles come out several times a month.

Where do I subscribe?
Subscribe to the newsletter here.

20. O.C. Tanner

Focused on employee recognition and organizational culture, O. C. Tanner’s blog helps HR professionals build employee-centric companies and a positive work environment.

Don’t forget to check out their annual Global Culture Report. The research provides valuable insights into how culture impacts productivity, performance, and overall employee engagement.

How often do they publish?
New content is added several times a month.

Where do I subscribe?
Go to the bottom left side of the footer on the Resources page.

21. CareerPlug

The CareerPlug blog aims to help non-HR people (think small business owners, franchise operators, etc.) hire better. But, in our opinion, the resources on this page (blogs, case studies, research reports) can also be of great value for those starting out in HR, talent acquisition, or recruitment.

The CareerPlug offers a wealth of information on all things hiring. From ‘How to hire seasonal employees’ and ‘How to build a great hiring process step by step’, to ‘Ask a hiring expert: How to create an ideal candidate profile’, and everything in between.

How often do they publish?
Several times a month.

Where can I subscribe?
Subscribe to the blog here.

22. Cornerstone

If you’re looking for expert views on HR topics like learning & development, AI, talent management, company culture, and leadership, have a look at the online magazine published by the well-known talent management system provider Cornerstone OnDemand. Their thought-provoking articles will always leave you with something to reflect on, making their resource center stand out among other HR blogs.

How often do they publish?
You can find new content on the blog multiple times a month.

Where do I subscribe?
You can visit the blog here. If you download any of Cornerstone’s ebooks or whitepapers, you will automatically be added to their mailing list, which includes links to recent and relevant articles.

23. Select Software Reviews

Select Software Reviews is a go-to resource for HR professionals seeking in-depth analyses of HR and recruiting software, as well as general HR advice. The blog offers expert-vetted recommendations, practical guides, and the latest trends in HR technology, helping teams make informed decisions.

How often do they publish?
New content is added weekly.

Where do I subscribe?
Visit the Select Software Reviews blog and scroll down for the subscription option to receive their weekly newsletter.​

24. CultureAmp

The blog of the People & Culture platform CultureAmp shares expert insights on performance management, DEI, employee development, and employee engagement for HR professionals and people leaders. Their content is educational and answers the what, why, and how of various HR-related topics, providing you with concrete steps to take in your organization.

How often do they publish?
A few times a month.

Where do I subscribe?
You can subscribe here in the footer.

25. Dr. John Sullivan

If you’re looking for thought-provoking content about recruiting, HR strategy, HR metrics and analytics, retention, and other topics from the world of HR, take a look at Dr. John Sullivan’s blog. DJS is an internationally known HR thought leader from Silicon Valley who specializes in strategic Talent Management solutions.

After writing more than 1,200 articles, multiple books, and launching his own podcast, you can be sure to find a treasure trove of knowledge here. 

How often do they publish?
Typically, there is a new article once a week.

Where do I subscribe?
You can bookmark the blog here.

26. HRZone

HRZone is the go-to destination for HR professionals and business leaders seeking advice, guidance, the latest trends in the world of work, and how the landscape of HR is gradually evolving. You’ll find articles, whitepapers, and reports on numerous topics and themes, including technology, talent management, diversity, well-being, training, leadership, and more, written by a mix of HR leaders, consultants, and industry commentators. 

How often do they publish?
At least once a week.

Where do I subscribe?
You can join the newsletter here (scroll down a bit and on the right-hand side).

27. Workleap

Workleap’s blog focuses on providing actionable advice to managers to help them perform more effectively in their roles and improve employee productivity, development, and engagement. You’ll find topics like “How to give effective employee feedback” and “Having difficult conversations: a manager’s guide to tough talks” all covered in an approachable and accessible way. 

How often do they publish?
At least once a month.

Where do I subscribe?
Visit the blog here.

28. Vantage Circle

Vantage Circle’s mission is to help companies build winning work cultures through innovative employee engagement solutions, hence why the majority of articles you’ll find on their blog are centered on improving company culture. There’s also a podcast, in-depth guides, ebooks, and webinars to browse.  

How often do they publish?
Several times each month.

Where do I subscribe?
At the end of each article, you’ll find a sign-up box so you can get exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.

29. Human Resources Today

Strictly speaking, Human Resources Today is an aggregator, not a blog. In fact, it is an HR content aggregator that enables you to gather articles from multiple sources, such as your favorite HR blogs, on topics that interest you or that you’d like to stay up to date on. Very convenient, isn’t it?

Topics include employee benefits, talent acquisition, payroll, metrics, and many more. 

How often do they update their page?
Daily.

Where can I subscribe?
You can leave your email and sign up here to stay up to date on your chosen topics. Find the subscribe box on the right-hand side of the page.

30. Unleash

Unleash is a global digital media business delivering the latest news, analysis, and market trends for HR. You might know them as the organizer of a series of leading HR conferences, UNLEASH.

They publish interesting, up-to-date articles on everything related to the workplace and often discuss trending topics like the metaverse and emerging technologies and the digital workforce.

How often do they publish?
A couple of times per week.

Where do I subscribe?
Scroll down a bit on the homepage and find the sign up banner.

31. Charthop

Charthop’s blog is a great place to learn about data-driven HR, compensation strategy, and workforce planning. The articles show readers how to leverage company and people data to shape their people operations.

They provide actionable advice, use plenty of real-life examples, and are easy to read, making the blog an excellent resource for any HR professional.

How often do they publish?
There’s a new article at least once per month.

Where do I subscribe?
On the bottom of the blog home page.

32. Harver

The Harver blog is a rich source of easy-to-read, high-quality articles on all things related to hiring and recruitment. Their posts often give practical tips on how to get started with a certain process within your organization or how to improve it. Although they specialize in the volume recruitment space, a lot of the information and advice can be related to any organization when it comes to improving your hiring strategy.

They also regularly publish ebooks, whitepapers, and webinars, which you can download for free.

How often do they publish?
Typically, there is a new piece of content a couple of times a month.

Where do I subscribe?
You can subscribe to Harver’s community of readers here.

33. HR Executive

HR Executive provides news and analysis tailored for senior HR professionals and executives. It covers a broad range of topics, including executive leadership, strategic HR, and industry trends.

How often do they publish?
New articles and insights are published several times a week.

Where do I subscribe?
Visit the HR Executive page and scroll down to the footer to sign up for their newsletter.

Before you go

We are lucky to live in a time where it is relatively easy to stay abreast of the latest developments in the world of work and Human Resources, to find inspiration and practical advice, or sometimes to just read a light-hearted article about funny work stories to brighten up our day. That way, you’re learning and improving your HR knowledge and skills every day.

The post 33 HR Blogs You Should Follow [2025 Edition] appeared first on AIHR.

In this article, we share 31 work anniversary ideas for employees to help you get inspired.  

Contents
Why work anniversaries are important
Work anniversary ideas to consider and implement
– Monetary and non-monetary gifts
– Celebrations and parties
– Work anniversary messages
– Remote work anniversaries
– 5-year work anniversaries
– 10-year work anniversaries
Celebrating work anniversaries: Best HR practices

Why work anniversaries are important 

Work anniversaries, also referred to as “workiversaries”, provide organizations with a simple yet powerful opportunity to recognize and celebrate their employees. 

When done well, a work anniversary is a milestone that builds employee loyalty and morale while giving companies a chance to reflect on people’s contributions and show them some well-deserved appreciation.

Work anniversary recognition plays an essential role in driving employee satisfaction, performance, and retention.

Work anniversary ideas to consider and implement

How you celebrate work anniversaries can vary widely, but the goal is always the same: make people feel appreciated. And the best part? There’s always a classy way to do that, no matter the budget or company size.

We’ve listed 31 work anniversary ideas for employees divided into six different categories to help you get inspired:   

Monetary and non-monetary gifts

Gifts are one of the most direct ways to recognize a work anniversary, as they show appreciation and reward loyalty. 

Depending on the company budget and culture, as well as the recipient’s preferences, you can use both monetary and non-monetary gifts. A well-timed gift can make someone feel valued, increasing the chance they’ll stay long-term. 

1. Extra day off

At AIHR, every employee gets an additional day off for every year of service, starting on their first work anniversary. This is on top of the base allowance of 26 paid vacation days per calendar year. For example, an AIHR employee of four years is entitled to 30 paid vacation days.

2. Gift or cash voucher

AIHR also gifts employees vouchers on particular work anniversaries, such as a team dinner voucher for every employee who has worked at the company for 2.5 years. It’s a way to mark the halfway point to five years, recognize their contribution, and let them celebrate with their team: win-win.

3. Charity donation

Another option is to donate to a charity or charitable cause of your employees’ choice, for instance, if they prefer this over receiving a gift for themselves.

4. Employee stock options

Employee stock options (ESOs) can be a valuable job anniversary gift idea, especially for employees who have been with the company for a longer period, such as five or more years. As such, ESOs can also act as an effective employee retention strategy.

5. A “birthday” cake

A cake, cupcake, or other type of baked goods is a classic yet thoughtful idea. Depending on where the employee celebrates their workiversary, the cake ceremony can take place with the entire team in person or online. 

6. A late morning

Give people the morning off on their work anniversary so they can sleep in, spend time with their loved ones, enjoy some extra downtime, or have brunch with friends. This is an excellent option, especially for those ‘younger’ job anniversaries (e.g., one and two years).

Celebrations and parties

Work anniversaries offer an excellent opportunity to celebrate an employee’s tenure at the company with their team and other members of the organization. They create a moment to recognize and appreciate someone and strengthen people’s relationships at work. 

7. An (in-person) team celebration

Encourage managers to devise a way to celebrate their team members’ work anniversaries. This can be a fun brainstorming exercise with the whole team so that people are involved and engaged. As an HR team, you can share some ideas with managers if they need inspiration to get started.

8. Group activities for group anniversaries

If several people celebrate their work anniversaries simultaneously, you can consider organizing a group activity for them. Here are some work anniversary celebration ideas for groups: 

• A karaoke night 
• A pottery class
• A volunteering session.

These are just a few examples; the options are endless. An added benefit of organizing a group activity is that people of different tenures will have a unique opportunity to bond. 

9. Lunch (or dinner) with the boss 

While some employees may get nervous about this, others may love to have the opportunity to sit down for lunch (or dinner) with the company’s CEO/director. And what better occasion to do so than their two-, three-, or five-year work anniversary? This is also an excellent option for group anniversaries.

Make sure that people are actually excited about this and not stressed, as the whole point is to celebrate and not to worry.

10. Game night

Depending on the size of the company, organizing a game night can be a fun alternative to the classic office party. Games can include board games, card games, trivia games, and more. At the start of the evening, include a moment to celebrate those who have their work anniversaries.

11. A ceremony

People’s work anniversaries are something to recognize as an organization. Consider a simple, companywide ceremony once a month (or once every quarter, depending on the number of people) to mark your employees’ milestones.

Work anniversary messages

A heartfelt, written, or spoken anniversary message is a powerful (and budget-friendly) way to show people you care about them. It also adds a personal touch to whatever your job anniversary gift package looks like and should, therefore, always be a part of it.

12. Handwritten notes

Who doesn’t love a personal, handwritten note in this digital era? This can be a great team activity to recognize people’s work anniversaries. Encourage team members to write their colleagues a note to congratulate them and tell them what they appreciate about them.

13. Social media shout-outs

While not every employee will feel comfortable getting a social media shout-out, it can certainly be a nice way to recognize people’s workiversaries and show your appreciation as an employer for your employees to the outside world at the same time.

14. Highlighting specific achievements, projects, and successes

Encourage managers to collect information and anecdotes about some of the things the employees who are celebrating their work anniversary have done or achieved throughout their time at the company. Ask them to highlight these during, for instance, a team or companywide celebratory ceremony for the employee.      

15. A personalized poem

Creating a personalized poem is another great idea to mark someone’s job anniversary. Ask everyone on the team a few questions about their colleague and then, for example, prompt ChatGPT to create a poem out of the collected answers. 

If the team is working remotely or in a hybrid environment, you could give each team member a few phrases to read out while they film themselves and put everything together into a nice, personalized video message. 

16. A surprise message from people outside the company

Many employees interact with people from outside the organization on a daily basis. These can be customers, supply chain partners, freelancers or contractors, and implementation partners. Often, your workers have great relationships with these ‘outsiders.’ How amazing would it be if some of them sent them a thoughtful note to congratulate them on their job anniversary?

Remote work anniversaries

According to Gallup, in the U.S., 26% of people with so-called remote-capable jobs work exclusively remotely, 55% work in a hybrid environment, and 19% work on-site. These stats emphasize the importance of having a backlog of work anniversary ideas for hybrid and remote employees. 

17. A home office upgrade

People who work fully remotely spend a lot of time working from home. While your company may (should) already provide them with a home office stipend, their work anniversary is a great occasion to give them something more. Perhaps a nifty little office gadget, a technology upgrade, or simply some additional budget they can spend freely.  

18. A team offsite

For fully remote teams, getting together in person is a special occasion that usually occurs only a few times a year. When someone on the team hits their 5th anniversary, see if you can arrange for a team offsite to celebrate together in person.  

19. A personalized item to hang on their wall

The employees’ home office is a great source of inspiration for work anniversary gifts. What about a beautifully framed picture (or collection of images) of their team to decorate the wall? Or, if you want to do something even more artsy, a commissioned portrait or other type of artwork?

20. Having a growth talk

This is not something to do only with remote employees or only when people celebrate their work anniversary, but it is also a great occasion to do so. Especially with remote employees, as they can feel (or be) forgotten when it comes to promotional or other career growth opportunities in the organization.

21. Sending a gift

Sure, this is a classic idea, but sending them a surprise gift for their job anniversary makes a lot of sense when someone is physically in a different geographical location. Options vary greatly, from gift boxes and vouchers to flowers and company swag. You can let your creativity run freely here.

5-year work anniversaries

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average time employees stay with their employer in recent years has ranged between 3.9 and 4.2 years. Five years, therefore, is an exceptional milestone for most people and deserves to be celebrated properly.

22. A bucket list experience 

Five years at the same company is a big milestone, especially in today’s world of work. To mark the occasion and support your employees’ dreams outside of work, you can offer them an experience they have on their personal bucket list.  

23. A workshop or training in their area of expertise

Again, this may not be for everyone, but this can be a fabulous gift for employees who love to share their knowledge and expertise with coworkers. Ask them to give a workshop or training about their area of expertise to spotlight them and their work.

This is an excellent way to recognize people while giving others in the organization a unique opportunity to learn from their peers.   

24. A personalized photo book

Five years is a long time – long enough for someone to do plenty of projects and create heaps of memories. As a team, collect pictures, videos, quotes, and whatnot to create a beautiful photo book for your colleagues so they will have a lasting memory of this milestone. Also, ask coworkers from other teams who regularly work with them if they have anything to share for the scrapbook.      

25. Congratulations from the company’s CEO

Perhaps this is something your organization’s CEO does no matter what, but if you’re in a medium – or large-sized company, that is unlikely due to the sheer number of people working there. 

However, for 5- (and 10-) year work anniversaries, it would be amazing if the CEO could write a personal note or send a personal video message to their employees to mark the occasion and show their appreciation.

26. A training experience of their choice

Many employees like to learn new skills or gain knowledge. Their job anniversary is an excellent moment to offer them an opportunity to learn something new and in a way they prefer. 

Perhaps they want to attend a conference, take an online course, or receive a micro-mentoring session from the company’s CMO; whatever it is, try to accommodate them to the extent possible.

10-year work anniversaries

If the five-year mark is something hardly anyone hits these days, imagine how rare it is for an employee to stay with the same company for ten years. That’s why those who do deserve extra recognition for their loyalty and effort.

27. A trip to a destination of their choice

If the budget allows it, consider offering a selection of trips people can choose from. Try to include various options, as not everyone will want to go on a city break or lie on the beach, and let them take someone with them on their trip.

28. A monetary bonus

At the end of the day, most people appreciate a monetary bonus more than (almost) anything.

29. Throwing a party

You can always throw a party for a work anniversary, but when someone has been with the company for ten years, you almost have to. Invite former colleagues, clients they have known for years, business partners, their families, etc., and celebrate in style.  

30. Asking them how they want to mark this milestone

After a decade in the same organization, employees may have seen it all, including in terms of work anniversary parties, gifts, and ideas. So why not ask them how they would like to commemorate this moment? Perhaps it’s something simple, maybe it’s not, but you can always ask.

31. Talking about what’s next

What ambitions or goals does someone have after ten years in the company? What’s next for them, and how do they see their future? Perhaps it’s time for a radical move into a different career path, or perhaps not. In any case, this is a meaningful conversation to have.

Celebrating work anniversaries: Best HR practices

Let’s take a look at some best practices for HR professionals to consider when coming up with a plan for celebrating work anniversaries:

• Plan in advance so milestones aren’t missed: The most important part of celebrating an employee’s job anniversary is to get the date right. Consider using your HRIS (or simply Excel) to track people’s anniversaries and automate reminders.
• Celebrate both publicly and personally: Work anniversaries are worth recognizing out loud—whether that’s a quick mention in a team meeting, a shout-out on internal channels, or even a LinkedIn post on the company’s profile. At the same time, it’s good to remember that not everyone loves the spotlight. Try to match the way you celebrate to the employee’s preferences so the recognition feels genuine. Some might appreciate a LinkedIn mention, while others value a thoughtful note or a small gesture just for them.
• Make it meaningful, not just routine: A generic message or gift can feel like a checkbox rather than real appreciation. Adding a personal touch—like referencing a recent achievement, a funny team moment, or a specific contribution—makes the recognition stick. Even small gestures can feel big when they’re thoughtful.
• Combine recognition with feedback and career conversations: In addition to celebrating them, work anniversaries are excellent occasions to ask people about their career aspirations and give them constructive feedback.
• Evaluate program success through surveys and retention data: As with every HR initiative, you want to track your efforts and evaluate whether or not they are successful. A simple survey or a stay interview can give you the information you need.  

To sum up

Celebrating your employees’ work anniversaries is an excellent way to recognize them and show them you care. There are countless ways to do so, depending on, among other things, the size of your organization and available budget. 

The 31 work anniversary ideas listed in this article are a great place to start for HR professionals looking for inspiration for their own work anniversary recognition programs.

The post 31 Inspiring Work Anniversary Ideas To Recognize Employees in 2025 appeared first on AIHR.

Contents
What are organizational values?
Importance of organizational values
Organizational values examples
How to define and integrate your organizational values
How to embed organizational values into your company culture
5 tips for writing your value statement

What are organizational values?

Organizational values are the guiding principles that provide an organization with purpose and direction. They are like a compass steering the company’s journey, shaping its decision-making, and defining its identity, both internally and externally.

Implementing and communicating organizational values can help companies attract and hire the right people, gain employee buy-in, and ensure their employees know how to best support the business strategy and achieve business success.

HR is well-positioned to identify, understand, and align the organization’s core values with those of its employees, make sure they are lived on a daily basis, and foster the type of organizational culture that supports them.

Importance of organizational values

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, organizational values impact every aspect of a company, including its decision-making and how it treats its people. Let’s examine their importance in more detail now. 

Organizational values help a company:

Differentiate itself from its competitors

Your company values distinguish you from other companies in the eyes of your customers, business partners, employees, and candidates. As such, they are an essential part of your company culture, often also described as your organization’s personality. 

Guide its employees in their decision-making

Values can clearly guide your employees’ actions in various situations within the company.   

For example, the video conferencing company Whereby has an organizational value called ‘Trust trust.’ It means that people should be trusted from day one and don’t need to earn that trust. 

As they put it themselves, ‘people start with a full tank of trust. This means trusting their expertise and skills, judgment, and intentions.’ This can be particularly relevant for managers when they welcome new hires. 

Boost its chances of attracting, recruiting, and retaining top talent

Candidates are attracted to values they identify with. Clearly defined organizational values, reflected in your employer branding efforts and throughout your recruiting process, help ensure culture fit. 

This fit goes both ways: As a company, you can assess whether or not a candidate would match your culture, and as an applicant, you can do the same thing. As a result, candidates will experience a certain level of self-selection, and some will decide that your company isn’t for them. 

For fast-growing scale-ups in particular, their company values can be the thing that brings in top talent, especially since they can’t always compete with the ‘big guys’ on things like compensation and benefits.

Increase the likelihood of attracting customers with the same values

Sometimes, stats speak louder than words. This certainly seems to be the case regarding people’s values and purchasing preferences. 

About 70% of U.S. consumers prefer buying from brands that share their values and ideologies. Data from a recent Ipsos report shows that about 20% of consumers have stopped using a company’s products or services because they did not reflect their values.     

Inform its business strategy 

Just like your core values guide your employees in their decision-making, they also guide the direction you want to go in as a company and how. Ultimately, this contributes to the success of your organization’s business. 

Another example from Whereby: “Our values help us pinpoint tools that help us outwit and outgrit to make our work better — whether that’s more efficient, more human, or more accurate. They also help us decide if platforms, tools, and partners align with our goals.” 

Boost employee engagement and motivation

The Employee Happiness Model outlines 15 universal drivers of engagement, grouped under four pillars: the organization, the people, the job, and wellbeing.

Within the organization pillar, one key driver is a company’s vision and values. Engagement increases when employees:

• Understand the company’s vision and values
• Identify with them
• See those values reflected in everyday behavior.

People feel more connected and motivated at work when values are clear, authentic, and consistently reinforced.

Take Whereby, for example. They’ve built their culture around what they call the Whereby ETHOS:

• Ethically ambitious: Committed to doing what’s right in ways that are real and visible.
• Trust trust: Trust is given by default, not earned over time.
• Human first: People are supported as whole individuals.
• Outwit and outgrit: Creative problem-solving with persistence.
• Selfishly diverse: Diversity is both a moral responsibility and a strength.

It’s a clear, values-driven approach that helps employees feel aligned with the company’s purpose.

Organizational values examples

We’ve already seen a few examples of organizational culture values from Whereby, but many others exist. And while values are unique to every organization, there are a couple of themes they often revolve around, such as: 

• Integrity
• Innovation
• Collaboration 
• Teamwork 
• Passion.

Here’s a small sample of organizational values from companies all over the world.

Lululemon

Lululemon is a Canadian athletic attire retailer with its headquarters in Vancouver. The company’s mission is to ‘elevate human potential by helping people feel their best.’ They aim to do that by ‘creating transformative products and experiences that build meaningful connections, unlocking greater possibility for all.’

Lululemon’s mission and vision are clearly reflected in the company’s organizational core values: 

• Personal responsibility 
• Connection
• Inclusion
• Courage
• Fun.

Netflix

Netflix is known to truly live and breathe its organizational values (you can take a look at its culture deck here if you like). As such, the company reinforces its values in hiring, 360 reviews, compensation reviews, and other people processes.

Here’s an example of what that looks like when it comes to, for instance, high performance. Netflix wants stars in every position. To ensure this, managers use the so-called Keepers Test. In short, this means that they ask themselves which of their people they would fight hard to keep if they told them they would leave — a practice that is in line with both the company’s ‘courage’ and ‘honesty’ values. 

The same goes for employees. They are encouraged to (be brave and) ask their manager from time to time how hard they would fight to keep them at Netflix.

Calm

Mindfulness company Calm is on a mission to support everyone on every step of their mental health journey. Its values describe how the company intends to achieve this.

‘Relentless,’ for example, means that they understand that speed matters but also that they move fast without breaking things. ‘Teamwork’ signifies understanding that great teams need safety, clarity, meaning, dependability, and impact.

Buffer

Another great example comes from Buffer. The social media management tool company has 10 core values, including one that is called ‘Default to Transparency.’ To try and live up to this particular value, they have made several things completely transparent:

• Salaries
• All of their code is open-source 
• Their product roadmap 
• All their diversity and inclusion data is public.

How to define and integrate your organizational values

Here are seven questions HR professionals can consider when defining organizational values and ensuring that employees are living them:

1. What’s the purpose of your organization?

As we’ve seen in the examples in the previous section, once you know your organization’s mission and vision, it becomes easier to define the values that will help you achieve those goals.

At the Academy to Innovate HR (AIHR), for example, we are on a mission to empower HR to create a better world of work.

To achieve our mission, we defined five core values that will help us get there — more on those below.

2. How do you want the world to see you?

This comes down to what matters most to you as an organization. How do you want your customers, employees, candidates, suppliers, and other stakeholders to see your organization?

To figure that out, it can be helpful to start by asking your current workforce what core values your company already has in place according to them.

At Buffer, they sent out a simple survey to their people to formalize what was already there. You can see what their survey looked like here.

3. How will these values be reflected and built into your processes?

Organizational values are the guiding principles of how your organization operates. But how does this look in practice?

Over at Whereby, they describe how they apply their core values when developing their internal processes and tools: “We launched our Progression Framework earlier this year to align the team on levels, skill sets, values, and more. Tools designed to guide team members through this process map to our values, helping team members assess their own performance and goals. And being transparent with our reviews ensures every team member understands where they’re at currently and what it takes to progress in their career at Whereby.”

4. What behaviors will represent your values? 

It’s important to consider your core values regarding workplace behaviors to ensure they come to life.

At AIHR, we held a series of values workshops with the entire company. Each organizational values exercise evolved around one of our core values: Ownership, Excellence, Data-driven, Trust, and Hunger to Grow.

In small groups of around six people, we discussed the following questions regarding a particular value:

• What does this value mean to you?
• What are examples of behavior that demonstrate this?
• How can we, as AIHR, encourage this behavior?

Doing this kind of exercise is an excellent way to:

• Get employee input and create a rich definition of what each core value means
• Recognize and appreciate people in the organization who already live the company values and share real-life examples
• Collectively, think about how the company can encourage the embodiment of the organizational values (in that regard, employee recognition plays an important role).

5. How are you going to communicate your organizational values?

Once you’ve defined your values, you need to communicate them both internally and externally. How will you ensure they’re not just empty words written on a (virtual) wall or in a value statement?

Depending on the employee life cycle stage, there are various ways to approach this. During the attraction and recruitment phase, for example, you can communicate your values in your employer branding activities: on your careers page, on your ‘About us’ page, on the products you sell, and in employee testimonials.

A simple yet effective way to continuously highlight your company values internally is to briefly mention them in your company or team meetings.

This can, for instance, be a company stand-up in which a few employees who showed, in the case of AIHR, great Ownership or Hunger to Grow are being praised.

Another way to communicate your organizational values can be through peer recognition: employees and managers compliment each other for a job well done and for genuinely living by one or more of the company values.

Peer recognition and appreciation can take many forms, both online and offline. But linking it to something visible, like a virtual badge, award, physical post-it note, or even a postcard, has the advantage of letting people see that your values are ‘alive’ inside the organization.

6. How are you going to formalize your values?

Communicating and formalizing your values are two things that go hand in hand. One way to do this is by using a concise values statement.

Another interesting way to formalize your values – and encourage your employees to live by them – is to performance manage against them.

For example, at digital financial services company Zip, employee performance is assessed based on the ‘How’ and the ‘What.’ The ‘What’ represents 50% and is about what you’ve done: the number of sales you made, the code you wrote, etc. The ‘How’ represents the other 50% and is about how aligned the way you work is with the company values, how you’ve changed the game, how you’ve supported your colleagues, or how you owned a problem.

7. How will you keep your values relevant as your organization evolves?

Organizational values are constantly evolving. Just like the environment in which your business operates, the people who work for your company, and your organization itself. 

Therefore, it’s good to monitor your core values. Take time to reflect on them regularly and collect feedback from your employees and perhaps other stakeholders.

Changes in organizational values can be subtle. Buffer, for instance, initially included ‘Communicate with clarity’ on its list of organizational values. After a company-wide effort to review the company values, this became ‘Have a bias towards clarity’ because it better reflected the organization’s direction and what it wanted to achieve at that point in time.

How to embed organizational values into your company culture 

Here are a few simple tips for HR professionals looking to embed organizational values into the company culture, based on those mentioned above:

• Recognize and reward value-driven behavior: Go beyond results—consider evaluating employees partly on how they work, not just what they deliver. For example, if collaboration is a core value, recognize team members who actively support others and work well across departments.
• Model values through leadership: Employees take cues from their leaders. Managers and executives should consistently demonstrate the company’s values through their decisions, communication, and behavior. It’s not enough to endorse values—leaders need to live them.
• Integrate values into daily operations and decision-making: Values should show up in how decisions get made—from strategic choices to everyday trade-offs. For example, if transparency is a core value, that might mean sharing context behind leadership decisions, even when it’s uncomfortable. If customer focus is central, teams might prioritize long-term trust over short-term wins. Look for ways to apply values in hiring, feedback conversations, budgeting, and even which projects get the green light. Embedding values into decision-making makes them real—not just aspirational.

5 tips for writing your value statement

Many organizations formalize their values in a brief declaration, the value statement. Here are some considerations for writing it:  

• Make it actionable: Values should guide behavior, not just sit on a website or an office wall. Use language that helps employees understand how to live the values daily. For example, instead of just “Integrity,” say, “We always do what’s right, even when no one is watching.”
• Keep each statement short and memorable: A strong value statement should be easy to recall. Aim for one sentence per value or a short phrase plus an explanation. For example: Collaboration — we win together by supporting and respecting each other. 
• Make it unique to your company: Avoid generic phrases like “Excellence” or “Respect” without context. Tie values to your mission and industry — what makes your culture stand out? For example, a tech company might say, “We experiment, fail fast, and learn even faster.”
• Balance inspiration with practicality: Values should be aspirational but achievable — not so lofty that employees feel disconnected from them.
  For example, instead of “We are the best in everything we do,” a more practical approach could be: “We strive for excellence by always improving and learning.” 
• Test it with employees before finalizing: Share drafts with employees and leaders to ensure the values resonate. Ask: Does this feel true to our company? Can you see yourself applying this in your daily work?

On a final note

Organizational values can be a great way to give your organization and its people purpose and direction, both long-term and in their everyday interactions and activities.

Equally important to defining your shared values is determining how you will bring those values to life in your (HR) processes. For this to be successful, it should be a continuous, collaborative effort involving your employees.

The post What Are Organizational Values? Definition, Importance & Examples appeared first on AIHR.

This article explains what a leadership development strategy is, the 13 different strategy types, and how you can create one to meet your organization’s needs.

Contents
What is a leadership development strategy?
Leadership development strategy: Key characteristics
13 types of leadership development strategies 
How to create a strong leadership development strategy 
3 real-life examples of leadership development strategies 

What is a leadership development strategy?

A leadership development strategy is a plan that aims to help an organization’s future leaders increase their capacity to effectively guide, inspire, and influence others in the company. 

Leadership development focuses on cultivating key leadership competencies, such as strategic thinking, decision-making, emotional intelligence, and communication. It highlights aspects such as self-awareness, personal growth, and the ability to empower and motivate others.  

An effective leadership development plan provides a structured approach to empowering potential leaders to confidently take on their future roles, navigate a constantly changing business landscape, and drive organizational success.

Leadership development strategy: Key characteristics

There are some elements every leadership development strategy framework should include, such as:

• Alignment with business goals: Effective leadership development must support long-term business objectives by helping potential leaders align their professional growth with company goals.
• Personalization: These programs should also be tailored to individual leadership styles and career paths as much as possible to encourage, facilitate, and support diverse perspectives among leaders.
• Practical experience: 75% of leadership development professionals estimate that under 50% of what they train in is actually applied on the job. Effective leadership development training should focus on the practical application of knowledge and skills.
• Continuous learning: Concepts that leadership adopts significantly influence a company’s culture. Leaders modeling continuous learning will also help build a culture of continuous learning throughout the rest of the organization.       
• Measurement and assessment: A leadership development strategy should have clear, quantifiable goals aligned with organizational objectives. You can use HR smart goals to track the progress of your leadership development efforts and their return on investment (ROI).  

13 types of leadership development strategies 

There are various types of strategies you can use as part of your leadership development plan. You can combine a few strategies to create a well-rounded development curriculum. Examples include:

1. Mentorship programs

Mentoring is usually a long-term, relationship-based process between two people. In this process, a more experienced employee (the mentor) provides their mentee with support, guidance, and advice. Mentoring focuses on career development and personal growth and provides an excellent opportunity to transfer knowledge and skills. 

2. Coaching

Coaching is a more structured, goal-oriented process focused on achieving specific results within a predetermined period of time. Leadership coaching is a collaborative process designed to help potential leaders improve their leadership skills, overcome challenges, and reach other specific outcomes.

3. Formal training programs

A formal training program consists of workshops or structured training sessions to help enhance specific leadership competencies and skills. It can include online courses, in-person classes, certificate programs, and more. These programs suit companies that prioritize long-term succession planning or leadership development.  

4. On-the-job training

This involves leaders undergoing coaching or a formal training program while performing their existing leadership duties. Often, new leaders find themselves managing teams of people without completing (or even receiving) leadership training. On-the-job training helps them develop their leadership competencies while performing their duties.

5. Job rotation

Job rotation is a practice where employees (including potential leaders) move between different roles or departments for a certain period to develop diverse skills to prepare for future leadership. Job rotation also allows employees to better understand different business operations as part of their preparation for leadership positions.

6. Cross-functional projects

These projects help potential leaders better understand inter-department relationships and individual roles. It also helps them develop and enhance leadership skills, such as adaptability and collaboration. Additionally, they can build stronger connections with key stakeholders across different departments and teams.

7. Action training

This strategy involves leaders collaborating to solve real business challenges through practical experience and group discussion. This allows participants to develop skills that are directly applicable to their work. Action training aims to enhance problem-solving abilities, and critical thinking skills while also delivering tangible business results. 

8. Leadership workshops

A leadership workshop is a structured session that focuses on developing and enhancing the leadership skills of its participants. Leadership workshop sessions typically involve exercises that teach key leadership concepts, facilitate interactive activities, and drive discussions.

9. Succession planning

Succession planning involves identifying potential leaders to ensure the continuity of critical roles and business operations in an organization. An effective succession plan must provide a structured approach to preparing the next generation of leaders to move the company forward.

10. 360 degree feedback

If you want to identify leadership skills gaps and promote self-awareness among your company’s leaders, 360 degree feedback can be highly useful. It gathers input about a leader’s performance from different sources, including peers, direct reports, and supervisors, offering a well-rounded picture of their capabilities and potential. 

11. Shadowing senior leaders

Job shadowing is a form of on-the-job training where, in the context of leadership development, a future or potential leader learns from an experienced leader by observing them as they go about their day-to-day work duties and responsibilities. This allows them to ask important questions and model beneficial leadership behaviors.

12. Soft skills training

Soft skills such as communication, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, and decision-making are all key leadership competencies. A leadership development plan should prioritize building and developing interpersonal skills in order to be successful at preparing future leaders for their roles.  

13. Networking opportunities

Building and maintaining connections with peers across different industries and levels of experience gives leaders an excellent opportunity to enhance their ability to lead effectively. Networking is also a great way to identify potential talent and stay current on the latest industry trends.

How to create a strong leadership development strategy 

The following seven steps below provide a simple guide for you to start creating a strong leadership development strategy. 

Step 1: Identify business objectives

Before anything else, you must have a thorough understanding of your organization’s business goals. This will help determine the kinds of behaviors, capabilities, traits, and skills you must focus on in your leadership development strategy framework.

Step 2: Identify key leadership styles and competencies

Depending on your company’s culture and business needs, it may require one or more leadership styles. It’s crucial to identify key competencies for the company’s success, as they’ll form the foundation of your leadership development plan. 

Step 3: Assess current leadership capabilities

To understand what your leadership development strategy needs, you must assess your current and future leaders against the key leadership styles and competencies you’ve established. One tool you can use for this is the Training Needs Analysis (TNA). 

Step 4: Select the right leadership development methods

The results of the assessment mentioned in the previous step will show you the skills gaps among your company’s future leaders. You can then use this to determine the most suitable leadership development methods to help close these gaps.

Step 5: Design your leadership development plan

Your development plan should combine your selected learning methods to create an engaging learning environment. For instance, the strategy could feature a combination of formal training, action training, job shadowing, leadership mentoring, job rotation, and soft skills training.

Step 6: Encourage continuous feedback and assessment

360 degree feedback is an excellent tool to monitor people’s progress during their leadership development training, and their readiness for leadership after completion. Examples include the OPM Leadership 360™ and the RightPath 360 assessment.

Step 7: Measure, adapt, and improve

For your leadership development strategy to succeed, you need to collect and analyze data and then measure it against the goals you’ve set. KPIs for each goal will help you measure progress, so you know what to keep doing and how to improve your strategy.

3 real-life examples of leadership development strategies 

Below are three real-life company examples of leadership development strategies you can use to inspire your own approach:

Example 1: General Electric

General Electric (GE) has multiple leadership development programs, one of which is the two-year Operations Management Leadership Program. Its participants rotate three times across the business to gain experience within the supply chain, and take on assignments to help build a foundation in supply chain and leadership.  

Example 2: Intuit

One of Intuit’s leadership development programs involves cohorts of five to seven VPs undergoing two months of training before deciding how they’d teach the company’s directors about leadership from their own perspectives. The directors also undergo the same program and share their learnings with their managers to create a cycle of knowledge through teaching.

Example 3: IBM

Extreme Blue is IBM’s three-month leadership program for future tech and business leaders. It welcomes talented individuals with established leadership skills and technical abilities. The program aims to provide participants with an experience that emphasizes innovation, growth, and collaboration.

To sum up

An effective leadership development strategy is vital for a company’s and its people’s success. It is key in empowering (junior) leaders to fulfill their roles with confidence, and successfully navigate others in the organization through a constantly changing business environment.

Companies that prioritize and continuously refine their leadership development strategies are better positioned to drive innovation, improve employee engagement, and sustain long-term business growth.

The post How To Create a Leadership Development Strategy (Plus 13 Strategies) appeared first on AIHR.

This constant change can create “change fatigue,” making it harder for employees to adapt. HR professionals play a key role in helping teams successfully manage these transitions.

This article breaks down 11 essential change management skills that HR practitioners should develop to better support their workforce during ongoing organizational changes.

Contents
Why change management is essential for HR 
11 crucial change management skills and how to develop them
Examples of change management skills in practice

Why change management is essential for HR 

Change is a constant in most organizations. For these changes to succeed, it’s important to prepare, equip, and support employees so they can adapt and embrace new ways of working. This process is called change management, and HR plays a key role in managing the people side of change.

To guide employees through change effectively, HR needs strong change management skills and knowledge. This includes:

• Monitoring and evaluating the process, and improving strategies if required
• Communicating clearly and addressing concerns
• Supporting both leaders and employees as needed
• Ensuring the change aligns with the company culture
• Providing training and development for employees.

Why do change management skills matter for HR?

Today’s workplaces are experiencing change—rapid advancements in AI, shifts toward remote and hybrid work, and economic changes are just some of the current challenges organizations face.

This puts HR teams front and center in understanding and effectively managing change within the workplace. However, to succeed in this role, HR professionals need strong skills, knowledge, and expertise in managing change.

So, what exactly are change management skills? These are the abilities needed to guide, support, and implement change effectively. They help HR leaders manage transitions, keep employees engaged, and drive business success.    

11 crucial change management skills and how to develop them

Let’s examine some essential change management skills for HR professionals. We’ll also discuss their relevance and how to start developing them.

Skill 1: Communication

Communication in change management means delivering clear, consistent, and engaging messages about organizational changes. It involves explaining the reasons for change, providing regular updates, addressing concerns and resistance, using the proper communication channels, and ensuring open communication.

Why it’s an important skill:

• Reduced uncertainty and builds trust: Employees feel more secure when they understand the change process, strengthening their confidence in leadership.
• Minimized resistance: Employees are more likely to support change when they understand its benefits, not just for the organization but also for themselves and how they handle their day-to-day work.
• Enhanced engagement: When people feel heard and included, they are more motivated to engage with the company and adapt to organizational change.

  How to develop this skill:

• Practice active listening: Encourage employees to share their concerns and ideas and address their feedback promptly to show them their input matters to the company.
• Ensure clarity and simplicity: Avoid jargon or overly technical terms, and use simple, direct language to facilitate understanding. You can also break more complex messages into smaller, more digestible pieces.
• Adapt your communication style: Assess employee preferences and company culture to determine the best communication style for your audience while maintaining the organization’s voice and intent.
• Tap into storytelling: Share real-life examples of how the change has benefited others, and use narratives to make it feel more relatable and less intimidating.

Skill 2: Adaptability

Adaptability in change management refers to people’s ability to (quickly) adapt to changing circumstances or situations in the workplace. Although always handy, this skill is particularly useful in periods of change as things can evolve rapidly.

Why it’s an important skill:

• Enables smoother transitions: HR leaders who act quickly are likelier to make the change happen and drive a smoother transition during organizational change.
• Willingness to take risks (and fail): Adaptable people aren’t afraid to take (calculated) risks. They’re open to trying alternative approaches and potentially failing; if they fail, they learn and grow from that experience. 

  How to develop this skill:

• Work on your growth mindset: Be open to trying and learning new things. If you find this hard, find an accountability partner to help you.  
• Develop self-awareness: Self-awareness is about knowing your strengths, weaknesses, values, and beliefs. Knowing this about yourself will help you identify how you react to change and detect potentially limiting beliefs that negatively affect your adaptability.    
• Build resilience: Learn how to better deal with setbacks and challenges and grow stronger because of them. 

Skill 3: Problem-solving and decision-making 

Problem-solving and decision-making skills in change management enable people to identify the source of an issue during a change process, brainstorm and find one or more solutions, and make the necessary decisions to solve it.    

Why it’s an important skill:

• Ensures a smooth process. Change is rarely linear; unexpected roadblocks are likely to pop up. Problem-solving and decision-making are important change management skills, as they allow one to assess situations from multiple perspectives and devise creative ways to address them.   

  How to develop this skill:

• Learn about problem analysis techniques: Finding the right solution to a problem can be complicated. However, knowing about and using the correct problem analysis technique can streamline the entire process.    
  The following techniques provide teams with a step-by-step procedure to recognize and solve potential difficulties:
  • Problem tree analysis 
  • Root cause analysis 
  • CATWOE analysis 
  • Kepner Tregoe analysis 
  • SCAMPER analysis 
• Practice: Once you understand the different problem analysis approaches, you can start practicing conducting a problem analysis, for example, by following the steps mentioned in our article about problem analysis in HR.

Skill 4: Collaboration

Collaboration is about working well with others. In a way, it is the combination of someone’s ability to communicate, adapt, problem-solve, and achieve goals with others. 

Why it’s an important skill:

• Necessary for a successful process. Organizational changes usually affect many, if not all, the people in the company. Effective collaboration is, therefore, crucial for success; without it, it is very unlikely that the planned change will take place, let alone have the desired effect.   

  How to develop this skill:

• Work on your communication skills. Communication is an essential part of collaboration. Focus on improving your active listening, communication style, and use of jargon. 
• Build your problem-solving skills. As mentioned earlier, learn about the different problem-solving techniques, practice, and train yourself to see every potential issue as an opportunity to learn and grow. 
• Develop your adaptability. Successful collaboration requires adaptability from those involved. Things won’t always go as you pictured them, so be open to other perspectives and willing to change course.

Skill 5: Leadership 

Leadership is the ability to lead, influence, or guide others. Strong leadership offers clarity and stability, both much needed during periods of transformation and change that often come with uncertainty. 

Why it’s an important skill:

• Provides stability and clarity. Organizational change can create uncertainty and fear for its participants. Strong leadership gives them the reassurance, context, and direction they need to guide them through the transition.  

How to develop this skill:

Developing leadership competencies involves: 

• Assess strengths and weaknesses: Take a leadership skills assessment to pinpoint areas for improvement.
• Choose a development method: Select the best way to build your skills, like coaching, mentoring, formal training, workshops, or job shadowing.
• Build a development plan: Create a personalized and structured leadership program. 

Skill 6: Negotiation

Negotiation in change management refers to someone’s ability to communicate with various stakeholders and come to an agreement.  

Why it’s an important skill:

• Ensures effective change. Every organizational change involves different stakeholders with different interests. Finding a solution that guarantees an outcome where all parties can find themselves is crucial for success. 

How to develop this skill:

• Remember the 5C’s. As a negotiation rule of thumb, remember to communicate, collaborate, compromise, stay calm, and embrace change. 
• Develop the skills related to the 5C’s. To become good at negotiating, work on your communication, collaboration, adaptability, and resilience, as described in this article. 

Skill 7: Resilience

As we’ve seen earlier, things happen, problems occur, and circumstances evolve during a change process. Resilience helps you better deal with the unexpected and navigate a quickly changing environment.     

Why it’s an important skill:

• It improves your wellbeing. Resilience is mandatory during a time of change. It is the basic attitude for anyone involved in change management, as without it, most people’s (mental) health risks deteriorate. 
• It inspires others. Another reason resilience is one of the most important change management skills for leaders is that it inspires other people in the organization to become more resilient themselves, which is good in any situation but even more so in periods of change. 

How to develop this skill:

• Develop self-awareness. Once you know how you react in certain (unexpected and) difficult situations and why, you can work on this to better deal with them – and even grow from them – in the future. 
• Take care of yourself. The better your overall health is, the better you will be able to navigate hardship if it occurs. Get at least the basics right: eat well, go outside, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep.  

Skill 8: Cultural awareness

Cultural awareness in change management means understanding the company’s behaviors, values, and norms and how they will affect the change process.  

Why it’s an important skill:

• Choosing the best strategy. Your change strategy and process may differ depending on the organizational culture. Change management will look very different in an adhocracy culture (dynamic and entrepreneurial) than in a hierarchical culture. 
• Minimizing resistance. Cultural awareness enables you to choose a change strategy that best fits the organization and, as a result, minimizes the chances of people resisting the proposed change(s).  

How to develop this skill:

HR plays a key role in understanding and maintaining a company’s culture. They ensure that candidates learn about the organization’s values and cultural traits right from the application process.

• Conduct a company culture audit: Learn how to conduct a culture audit and analyze the data to understand the current company culture and assess where improvements are required.
• Measure culture: Continue to measure the company culture to understand if the changes required are happening or where there may be other areas to address.

Skill 9: Coaching and mentoring

Coaching and mentoring are important to change management leadership skills. Especially when it concerns organization-wide change processes, the change management team depends on the support and involvement of managers to create the desired change.   

Why it’s an important skill:

• Managers need support: Managers often have a lot on their plate, and leading their teams through organization-wide changes adds extra work and stress. They need guidance and support from HR to follow the process effectively.
• Creating change advocates: Managers are key to helping their teams understand and embrace organizational changes. Their role is critical in getting everyone on board. HR needs to support managers in becoming advocates for change.

How to develop this skill:

• Experience coaching yourself. As Ozlem Sarioglu, Founder of Digital coaching platform SparkUs, said in our All About HR Podcast: “If you haven’t received coaching yourself, you don’t really grasp what it means to be coached, what it feels like when you hear a powerful question to search inside yourself and find an answer. So to become a better coach, you need to be coached first.”  
  The same goes for mentoring. Before becoming a mentor, find one first and experience what that is like. 
• Get proper training. Find someone with experience, specifically coaching managers during organizational change, to give you the appropriate training.

Skill 10: Data analysis

HR data analysis skills allow for a more informed and strategic approach to organizational change management, allowing the organization to make data-driven adjustments where needed.      

Why it’s an important skill:

• Track progress: Data analysis helps you to track the progress (or lack thereof) of your change initiatives. 
• Identify potential problems. Tracking your change management metrics helps you detect potential issues and optimize the change process. 

How to develop this skill:

Develop your skills in tracking and measuring the right HR analytics for your change management initiatives:

There are, however, some things you can do:

• Understand which metrics to track: Check out our article about important change management metrics to track and how to analyze them.  
• Take a certificate program: Learn how to measure and analyze HR metrics by taking a course or program, like the AIHR People Analytics Certificate Program.
  

Skill 11: Crisis management

Crisis management in a change process refers to people’s ability to effectively navigate and respond to unexpected situations and emergencies during a planned organizational change.   

Why it’s an important skill:

• To minimize the damage: Staying calm in a crisis and, if possible, following processes for calamities is essential to reassure everyone in the organization and reduce damage (e.g., employee safety, a loss in productivity, a drop in employee engagement, a data breach, etc.). 

How to develop this skill:

Crisis management relies on many of the same skills as change management, including communication, collaboration, problem-solving, decision-making, adaptability, and resilience. To be well-prepared, it’s important to anticipate potential crises and create clear action plans ahead of time.

By adding these strategies to your change management plan, you can respond quickly and effectively to challenges.

3 examples of change management skills in practice

There are various ways for HR professionals to put their change management knowledge and skills into practice. Examples include: 

Example 1: Managing digital change

When a company introduces new HR software, the HR team must manage the digital change that comes with it. This includes clear communication and fostering resilience. These change management skills help to:

• Effectively introduce the new HR software through clear communication
• Encourage behavioral changes and build resilience among employees.

Example 2: Writing change, communication, and crisis plans

HR’s expertise in change management is essential for planning and guiding organizational transitions. This includes creating clear communication strategies to make the process smoother. HR is also key in preparing crisis plans to handle any unexpected challenges that might come up during the transition.

Example 3: Guiding people through mergers and acquisitions

When one company acquires and merges with another, effective change management is essential at many levels. Here are a few key areas to consider:

• Organizational culture: How well does the acquired company’s culture align with the acquiring company’s? What steps can you take to successfully merge them?
• Employee engagement: How do employees from the acquired company feel about the transition? Are they concerned? What’s the impact on their morale and engagement? How can you keep these positive?
• HR tech stack: Does the acquired company’s HR tech stack integrate smoothly with the acquiring company’s systems?

To sum up

Focusing on key skills such as clear communication, adaptability, problem-solving, collaboration, leadership, negotiation, resilience, cultural awareness, coaching, data analysis, and crisis management can help guide your organization through transitions more smoothly.

Investing in these areas not only enhances your professional growth but also strengthens your organization’s ability to lead change successfully, reducing employee resistance and boosting overall agility. As the pace of change continues to accelerate in organizations, being well-equipped with robust change management capabilities positions you to lead your teams effectively, ensuring sustained growth and competitiveness in today’s business landscape.

The post 11 Change Management Skills for HR To Develop in 2025 appeared first on AIHR.

HR plays a key role in shaping and maintaining good employee communication by developing policies, implementing communication tools, and fostering a culture of openness and feedback.

This go-to guide explains the characteristics of employee communication, the tools you can use to facilitate it, and the steps to help create a successful employee communication strategy.

Contents
What is employee communication?
HR’s role in employee communication
Key characteristics of effective employee communication
7 steps to develop an effective employee communication strategy
Tools to improve employee communication
Enhancing workplace communication with AI
4 real-life examples of effective employee communication

What is employee communication?

Employee communication refers to the two-way communication between an organization and its employees and interactions among colleagues. It includes the exchange of information, knowledge, feedback, thoughts, and ideas.

Employee communication covers various types of communication that take place in an organization, such as:

• Top-down: This type of employee communication involves information and messages flowing from the top down. An example is when the HR team emails the entire organization explaining a new benefits plan.
• Middle-out: This style of employee communication refers to the communication and exchange of information between middle managers and their teams.
• Bottom-up: This communication style amplifies employee voices—employees communicate with and send feedback, suggestions, or complaints to upper management.

Skillful employee communication can increase engagement and cross-departmental collaboration, help build strong relationships, and encourage innovation. Poor employee communication, however, can hinder engagement, morale, and productivity, create uncertainty around expectations, and prevent the organization from reaching its goals.

HR’s role in employee communication 

HR typically develops guidelines and protocols to standardize communication within the organization, ensuring clarity and consistency.

HR professionals must also help align the organization’s communication with its policies at every stage of the employee life cycle, from recruitment and onboarding to performance management and offboarding. You might, for example, be responsible for organizing training sessions to enhance workplace interactions and improve employees’ and managers’ communication skills.

Another important aspect of your role in employee communication is transparency. By sharing updates, decisions, and policies openly — and encouraging managers to do the same — you can foster a work environment of trust where employees feel valued and informed. HR also regularly gathers employee feedback to drive improvements to communication strategies.

At the same time, you will also mediate between employees and management or different departments, addressing concerns and resolving misunderstandings to maintain a harmonious workplace. Additionally, HR can be responsible for introducing and managing platforms such as intranets, collaboration software, and messaging systems to streamline both hybrid and remote communication.

Addressing common challenges in employee communication

When communication is scattered across emails, chat platforms, and intranets, employees may find it challenging to keep track of what’s important. Centralizing communication into a cohesive platform and establishing clear guidelines on which tools to use for specific purposes—such as announcements, feedback, or collaboration—can help ensure everyone is on the same page.

Excessive emails, messages, and meetings can also overwhelm employees and lead to disengagement.

Annelise further explains, “At the same time, in multicultural organizations, varying cultural norms and language differences can contribute to miscommunication. Annelise advises: “To mitigate this, keep messages simple and straightforward and promote inclusivity through cultural sensitivity training and open dialogue about cultural differences.

“Additionally, without proper feedback channels, employees may feel unheard and become disengaged. Use tools like pulse surveys, suggestion boxes, and open forums to give them a voice. It’s also crucial to act on this feedback and train others to do the same, so employees know their opinions are valued.”

Key characteristics of effective employee communication

The seven Cs of communication (clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete, and courteous) are a great place to start in developing successful employee communication.

Other characteristics of good employee communication between (leadership and) employees include: 

• Two-way interaction: Employee communication should encourage employees to share their thoughts and feedback. 
• Timely messaging: Sharing information at the right time ensures employees are aware of key changes or updates when they need to be and boosts the employer’s reliability and security. 
• Accessibility: Accessibility is key, especially for non-desk workers (like those in construction, transportation, agriculture, or manufacturing). These employees tend to lack regular computer access, making communicating via SMS an ideal alternative.
• Inclusivity: Communication should accommodate diverse teams by addressing cultural and language differences and people with visual, hearing, or other impairments.
• Empathy: Understanding and considering each receiver’s (i.e., the employee’s) perspective creates an environment where they feel valued and supported.

7 steps to develop an effective employee communication strategy

Here are seven steps you can take to help you develop an effective employee communication strategy that will not only increase employee engagement, retention, and satisfaction but also drive positive business outcomes:

Step 1: Determine your employee communication goals

Regardless of your aim, you need to first establish your goals to guide and inform your strategy. Examples include promoting organizational culture, boosting morale, or sharing important updates (or a combination of these). Clearly defining your objectives helps ensure all communication efforts align with the company’s broader mission and business priorities.

Step 2: Know your audience

It’s essential to understand the various employee segments in the company. Remote workers, for example, have different needs and preferred communication channels from their office-based colleagues. Conducting employee surveys or focus groups can help identify preferences, pain points, and the best ways to reach different employees efficiently.

Step 3: Assess and select communication channels

Analyze the company’s workforce demographics to assess the effectiveness of its current communication channels and, where necessary, select and implement new communication tools. Consider a mix of digital platforms (e.g., intranet) and in-person methods (e.g., town halls) to ensure employees receive messages in ways that suit their roles and work environment.

Step 4: Develop and share communication policies

After developing guidelines and protocols to standardize organizational interactions, share these policies with the workforce and ensure everyone knows how to access more information about them. Clear communication policies set expectations on response times, tone, and confidentiality, which helps maintain transparency and professionalism across the company.

Step 5: Create a communication plan and calendar

Depending on your strategy and goals, your communication plan can include a calendar. For instance, if you need to keep employees updated during a merger, you could create a schedule covering important announcements, communication initiatives, and town hall meetings. A well-structured plan ensures consistent, timely, and informative message delivery.

Step 6: Train managers to be communication leaders

Managers are crucial to successful information flow in an organization, both from top to bottom (and vice versa) and in their own teams. It’s important to train them on the company’s employee communication strategy, goals, and policies. Training that includes active listening and message delivery techniques can empower them to keep their teams informed and engaged.

Step 7: Measure, evaluate, and fine-tune

When developing your strategy and setting goals, you should also determine what metrics to use to measure success. To assess the effectiveness of your efforts, gather feedback regularly and make adjustments where necessary. Metrics such as employee survey results, engagement rates, and internal feedback can highlight areas for improvement.

Tools to improve employee communication

The table below lists various tools you can use to help improve your organization’s employee communication. Which tools are most suitable for your organization will depend on your communication strategy and goals and the different employee segments in the company.

Enhancing workplace communication with AI

Here are some examples of how AI can help improve workplace communication—and reduce your workload at the same time:

• Automating communication processes, such as FAQ or often requested documents
• Suggesting more precise language to decrease miscommunication risk
• Transcribing and summarizing meetings and providing everyone access to this information to ensure the whole team is on the same page
• Offering sentiment analysis to assess the emotional context and tone of messages 
• Creating (the basis for) content such as emails, internal presentations, and reports, providing a starting point for employee communication.

4 real-life examples of effective employee communication

In this section, we’ll share some examples of organizations that have successfully implemented employee communication strategies or tools.

Example 1: GWI

GWI is a prominent consumer research company in digital consumer rights. Its more than 500 employees are spread across three continents. 

It relies heavily on Slack to support its global culture of collaboration and togetherness, scale and maintain efficient operations, and successfully onboard new cohorts of people. This is especially important, as part of GWI’s onboarding takes place remotely. 

Example 2: JetBlue

JetBlue, New York City’s hometown airline, has over 25,000 employees, many of whom are non-desk workers. As part of its employee communication strategy, the company developed On The Fly, a custom-branded intelligent communication platform by Firstup.

This platform allows JetBlue to send personalized communications to the right employee at the right time, ranging from critical updates to inspiring recognition stories. This way, non-desk workers can remain connected to the airline regardless of their location.

Example 3: Hickory’s Smokehouse

Hickory’s Smokehouse is a family-friendly restaurant chain with 3,000 employees in the U.K. As the company wanted an employee app to enable two-way communication and connect frontline employees to office-based staff members, it looked to Workvivo to power its social intranet.

The intranet creates a democratized communication platform that allows all employees to contribute, share, comment, and interact on their terms. Since its launch in October 2023, 94% of Hickory’s employees have registered, and 86% are active every month.

Example 4: HubSpot

HubSpot realized its project management team members were communicating with stakeholders and tracking their workstreams manually and in different ways. This wound up created more work for the team.

As such, the company sought a platform that would give stakeholders easily digestible information and answer the needs of their creative partners. Work management platform Asana enables them to review, edit, and collaborate on work across the entire organization, and track design and marketing projects.

To sum up

Clear, open, and inclusive employee communication keeps the workforce informed, engaged, and motivated. HR plays a key role by setting communication policies, using the right tools, and fostering a culture of transparency. With the right strategies and technology, companies can improve teamwork, boost productivity, and keep everyone connected.

This, in turn, leads to better business results. Companies that constantly listen to employees, train managers well and adjust their approach tend to see higher engagement and stronger performance. Whether through instant messaging apps, structured policies, or AI-driven insights, businesses that communicate skillfully will not just get by—they will thrive.

The post What Is Employee Communication? Your All-in-One Guide [2025 Edition] appeared first on AIHR.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at employee sabbatical leave, including the benefits of going on a sabbatical, the key elements of a sabbatical leave policy, and real-life examples of sabbatical ideas and programs. 

Contents
What is sabbatical leave from work?
Why is a sabbatical important? Benefits for employees and employers
Sabbatical leave policy: Key rules and template
Sabbatical program examples
FAQ

What is sabbatical leave from work?

A sabbatical leave is a period in which an employee takes an extended break from work, with the agreement that they can return to their job once the leave is over. The reasons for taking a sabbatical can vary from pursuing further academic studies, working on a personal project, volunteering, traveling the world, or spending more time with family. Most sabbaticals are unpaid, but employers sometimes agree to pay the employee a reduced rate or retainer to secure their return.

Companies typically only grant sabbatical leave to employees who have been with the company for a certain amount of time. As such, sabbatical leave can be considered a type of employee benefit and is increasingly becoming a recruitment and retention tool.

The word “sabbatical” comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat,” meaning rest, and was originally tied to the biblical practice of taking every seventh year off for rest and renewal.

How long is sabbatical leave?

Although there is no standard length for sabbatical leave, it is usually longer than one month and can last up to a year. Less than four weeks is normally taken as annual leave, while breaks longer than a year are often viewed as a career break.

Types of sabbatical leave

Some of the common types of sabbatical leave include:

• Sabbatical from work: Sabbatical leave from an existing job, often offered as an employee benefit.
• Career sabbatical: A form of career break, usually longer than a year, commonly taken by people who have started a family or those exploring alternative careers.
• Professional sabbatical: Focused on gaining new skills, certifications, or experiences in a professional context, such as volunteering in a related industry, participating in leadership training, or working on a personal project that aligns with career goals.
• Academic sabbatical: Leave is used to pursue professional qualifications, conduct research, or write a book that will help to further the employee’s professional development.
• Mental health sabbatical: A sabbatical for employees who feel stressed or burnt out because of their job or other responsibilities.
• Health or recovery sabbatical: Focused on addressing physical health challenges, recovering from illness or surgery, or dedicating time to improving overall wellness.

Sabbatical vs. leave of absence

Most types of leave, such as sick leave, annual leave, or parental leave, have a time constraint, whereas sabbaticals can usually last from one month to a year.

Unlike other types of leave, sabbatical leave is not mandated by laws; therefore, it’s up to the organization’s HR department to create a suitable policy.  

Why is a sabbatical important? Benefits for employees and employers

Going on a sabbatical has benefits both for the employee as well as their employer. Let’s start with the positive effects of a sabbatical leave on employees: 

• Less stress: According to a study conducted among university professors, those who went on sabbatical experienced less stress at work upon their return. 
• Increased psychological resources: The same study found that people who returned from sabbatical leave benefited from an increase in psychological resources such as health, a sense of control and independence, energy, and even more professional knowledge! 
• Increased wellbeing: Unsurprisingly, the above led to an increase in the overall wellbeing of those who enjoyed an extended break from work. A recent report stated that 65% of employees have felt burnt out at some point due to their work, and a sabbatical can lead to positive, lasting changes when the employee returns.
• Life experience: Taking a sabbatical is a brilliant way for employees to build life experience and return to work wiser, more resilient, and with new perspectives.
• Upskilling: Many companies (including Deloitte, Buffer, and McKinsey) now offer paid sabbaticals, during which employees can further their education and build skills and knowledge to progress in their careers. 

Offering employees the possibility to take a sabbatical comes with benefits for employers too: 

• Building a healthier, more productive workforce: Employees who return from a sabbatical often feel recharged and healthier, which can lead to improved morale, stronger collaboration with colleagues, reduced absenteeism, and potentially higher productivity.
• Succession planning stress test: Research shows that sabbaticals for executive leaders, particularly in non-profit organizations, provide a valuable opportunity to test the organization’s leadership capacity and identify areas for improvement in succession planning. While the ‘number ones’ are on sabbatical, aspiring leaders have the opportunity to grow, take on new responsibilities, and demonstrate their leadership skills. As such, a person’s sabbatical leave can be a good opportunity to stress test your succession planning and, if necessary, adjust it.   
• Ready for unexpected absences: Being dependent as a team on one or more individuals is never a good thing. Having people go on a sabbatical pushes managers and teams to prepare for (long-term) absences so that when someone does leave, the business can continue as usual. 
• Employer brand & talent acquisition: Offering employees a sabbatical shows that you care about your workforce and that you reward loyalty. While a sabbatical program won’t be the number one reason candidates choose to work for you (and it shouldn’t be), it can make a difference when a candidate compares one company to another. Research led by HR software provider ADP found that 20% of employees would accept a sabbatical instead of a pay rise.
• Increased retention: Giving employees the freedom to take a longer period of time off helps employees feel their personal development and wellbeing are valued, which helps to boost retention. Plus, when denied a sabbatical, your top performers may otherwise quit, so avoiding this will help you save time and money recruiting and training replacements. 

Sabbatical leave policy: Key rules and template

Sabbatical leave rules

Here are some things to consider when creating your sabbatical leave rules:

• Eligibility: Sabbaticals are often used to reward employees for their loyalty. Therefore, people usually become eligible for a sabbatical leave after they’ve spent a certain period with the company and are often at a senior level, for example, after 5 years of service. Determine the criteria that will make your employees eligible for a sabbatical. 
• Duration: Can people take three months off or a year? Does the duration depend on how long they’ve been working for the company? What’s the maximum period you will allow employees to go on a sabbatical leave? 
• Frequency of sabbaticals: Once an employee has taken a sabbatical, are they entitled to take another one in the future? If so, when? An organization might require an employee to complete a further set number of years in the organization before requesting another sabbatical. 
• Paid vs. unpaid sabbaticals: This will often depend on budgets and the length of the sabbatical. Some companies decide to pay a certain percentage of an employee’s salary while they’re on sabbatical leave, others pay full salaries, and there are also organizations that decide not to pay. You can also decide to pay (or not) depending on the reason someone wants to take a sabbatical. 
• Other benefits: Will the employee continue to receive their other benefits, such as health insurance, pension, company car, etc., during their sabbatical?    
• Application & approval: How can employees apply for a sabbatical? Do they have to write a formal letter of request, or can they simply use the company’s time off request form? How much time in advance do they need to apply? Who needs to approve the sabbatical leave? How long can an employee expect to wait before receiving a decision on their application?
• Conduct during leave: Your sabbatical rules should include guidelines for employees on maintaining your code of conduct, even if they’re not actively working. For example, nondisclosure agreements should be adhered to, and behavior on social media should not reflect badly on the company. 
• Return to work: Agree on a date for the employee’s return to work, whether they will have their old job back or be given a similar role, and the terms that will be offered. This should be arranged before the employee leaves. HR should also create an official plan to welcome the employees back on their return, provide them with any training needed, and arrange for them to meet new colleagues. 

It’s essential to consider all of the above to create a well-structured process to manage sabbaticals in your organization.

Sabbatical leave policy & template

Having a formal sabbatical leave policy in place streamlines how the leave works and helps to protect both parties. Download our sabbatical policy template and use this as a base to create your own policy that works for your organization.

Sabbatical program examples

If you’re thinking about including a sabbatical leave in your employee benefits or modifying your existing sabbatical policy, take a look at these five examples of companies that have successfully implemented a sabbatical program.

Bank of America sabbatical

Bank of America’s sabbatical program allows employees to take 4-6 weeks of additional paid time off after completing 15 years of service with the company. Employees can take up to two sabbaticals, the second after a further five years of service after the initial leave. The aim of the sabbatical program is to allow employees to recharge and boost their wellbeing. 

Intel sabbatical

Intel offers eligible employees the option to take a four-week sabbatical after four years of service or an eight-week sabbatical after seven years of service. Eligibility criteria aren’t disclosed to non-employees, but Intel states that its intention for offering sabbaticals is to give employees the chance to try something new, explore, spend more time with family, and return to work refreshed with new perspectives. 

Workday sabbatical

Workday offers six-week paid sabbaticals to employees who have worked for the company for at least 10 years. They are also eligible to take sabbatical leave every ten years after that. Workday requires eligible employees to request their sabbatical at least six months before the start date of the leave. The sabbatical must be taken as one continuous period.

Monzo sabbatical

Employees of the British online bank Monzo are entitled to one month of unpaid leave per year in addition to 26 paid vacation days. Those who have worked for the company for at least five years are also able to take a eight-week paid sabbatical. Monzo has no specific requirement for how employees can spend their sabbatical, which leaves it entirely open for employees to decide what they will most benefit from. 

Adobe sabbatical

Eligible employees at Adobe are entitled to take a four-week fully paid (including all benefits) sabbatical after five years of service. After 10 years, they can take a further five weeks sabbatical. After 15 years, they can take six weeks. Every five years after that, they are entitled to take a six-week paid sabbatical.

These rules apply to employees who work 24 or more hours per week. They need to apply 60 to 90 days in advance.

To conclude

Sabbatical policies vary greatly across organizations. But whether they last four weeks or a year, and whether they’re spent volunteering abroad or at home with family, they can have a positive, long-lasting impact on both employees and organizations.

FAQ

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