HRM priorities as firms exit the recession

What should a firm’s people management priorities be as the UK & global economy slowly emerges from recession? The Institute of Employment studies has just published its suggestions…

Amongst the priorities suggested by the IES are:

- The critical role of effective workforce planning and organisational structures as firms face up to continuing future uncertainty

- The importance of flexible working which has moved from being essentially an employee-oriented benefit to a valuable flexible resourcing and cost control strategy

- The future for training, talent management and coaching, as the need for top talent and leadership is greater than ever, but the cost spotlight has fallen on the justification for some common, traditional training practices and spend

- The importance of employee engagement to organisational performance, which in some cases bas been weakened by deteriorating employer/employee relationships

- The requirement to respond to the generational challenges presented by demographic change – managing both ‘the teenies’ and ‘the oldies’.

I’m not sure there is anything particularly new coming out of the IES report. As with many HRM issues is a business, it is very much a question of identifying the key HR priorities, and ensuring that they fit with a business’ or organisation’s strategy. I’d pick the top two points above (workforce planning / org structures + flexible working) as the two most important strategic issues for most established businesses in the UK currently.