Happy birthday to us! As of today, HR Dive is one whole year old.
To celebrate, we found our five most popular and insightful stories from the past year. Enjoy this slight blast from the past – and some helpful refreshers on important topics in the industry.
5. The trouble with vacation time: Why Americans won't take time off
Summer — and vacation season — is almost here. But are your employees taking vacation time? The issue is real, this piece asserts. 40% of workers left vacation time on the table in 2014, according to a study by Project Time Off, even though it is almost universally accepted that a strong workforce requires a decent amount of time off.
Some companies have taken to unlimited vacation time to solve the problem, though not all agree it solves anything. Others have adopted "minimum" vacation policies to try and combat the fear employees feel about taking earned time off.
Parallels to this issue can be seen with paid parental leave policies. The issue largely comes down to culture. And culture starts at the top — like when Mark Zuckerberg took two months off to take care of his adorable new daughter, Max. Not a horrible reason to take off work.
4. Handling tough employee questions ahead of a merger: A guide for HR
This piece was one of our first features, but the advice holds true. Almost every industry under the Industry Dive banner has experienced mergers that can confuse and frighten employees. Rumors will run rampant and employees will turn to their internal network to try to get more information. Most of the information they get will be inaccurate.
Common questions from employees include: Will there be a job for me in the new company or will my position be eliminated? Will my role and responsibilities change? And how will benefits be affected?
Have a communication plan in place, and be open with employees. Let them know what you know when you know it. And be flexible. If employees sense upheaval up top, they may try and jump ship.
3. Bersin: The rise of the app among 10 most disruptive 2016 HR trends
Josh Bersin is one of HR's most influential voices. So when Bersin shares his view on the 10 most disruptive HR tech trends to come in 2016, people listen.
Apart from ongoing HR management system changes, Bersin singled out other disruptions, including: how the talent management market is being redefined; the market for feedback, culture, and engagement apps; the maturing market for employee well-being, wellness, and productivity systems, and the beginning of "People Analytics."
The app is here to stay.
2. The top learning trends for 2016 and beyond
Experts have declared that it is a "golden age for learning," according to our set of learning trend predictions. New technology and attitudes about learning thanks to mobiles and millennials have transformed how companies view learning and development programs. Gamification, accessible apps and bite-sized video are among favored new offerings.
But the classroom hasn't been entirely abandoned just yet. "Blended" styles have garnered new popularity. Many now also see learning and development as key to diversity programs.
If the topic is of particular interest to you, be sure to sign up for our upcoming weekly newsletter, HR Dive: Learning, publishing this June.
1. Top 10 HR tech trends to watch for in 2016
Speaking of technology trends, we spoke to the experts and gathered 10 tech issues that will affect HR this year – our most read feature of the year.
Tech strategy is top of mind for many employers, as well as software-as-a-service (SaaS). Now that many companies have the technology they want in place, the next step is to integrate their platforms across all parts of the organization to end siloing and the risks that come with it.
Data analytics and the aforementioned "people analytics" are also coming into play. Mobile and millennials are, as always, on leaders' minds, too, as they seek employee engagement.
