The purpose of leadership may be to shape large-scale loosely connected groups/teams of talented individuals who are held together by common values, a shared vision of the future, and a unique sense of who they are as people.
Leadership is a bond between leaders and followers that may lead to achievement of their shared purpose and outcomes. Leadership strategy may work towards knowing how to look ahead, spot the trends, and anticipate the course of action employees/ groups/ teams must follow to maximize success.
Effective leadership involves possession of competencies to chalk out strategies based on challenges being faced by organisations (including people issues). Leaders who achieve outcomes are more focused, keep their people focused, and plan whatever is necessary to see plans through.
Right leadership is also about consistently reaching goals by constantly adapting to their surroundings by estimating it, working on it and winning over challenges by making the right decisions on managing talent, result focus and involving others.
Leadership of the Future
Management Guru Peter Drucker once said, “The leader of the past will know how to tell. The leader of the future will know how to ask”.
Leaders of future (especially HR leadership) would be working towards a catalysing role where they look for facilitating right employee experience to enable employees towards meeting that shared purpose.
This is possible when leaders work upon right talent management practices, and most critical of these practices is ensuring employee wellbeing.
Well-Being at Work
Clifton & Harter (Jim Clifton being Chairman of Gallup and Jim Harter being Chief Scientist of Gallup) who authored the book titled Well-Being at Work discuss the five elements of well-being namely, career well-being, social wellbeing, financial wellbeing, physical wellbeing and community well being. HR leadership may be the best to cater to such elements.
HR Leaders can work towards ensuring every employee in organization knows his strengths and managers maybe upskilled to change mentality from boss to coach. HR Leadership may ensure that each manager should become an expert in setting goals and providing meaningful feedback at least once a month.
Once this is achieved leaders may facilitate that managers and teams can discuss about life and overall purpose and well-being. Today where we look at technology driving systems & processes everywhere, it may be critical for HR leaders to ensure social wellness amongst employees as well.
Strategies may include creating regular opportunities for employees to get to know one another through work and making socialising a critical part of their orientation. Some in-person time during Onboarding must be ensured. Also, employee pulse may be taken regarding who they would like to partner for future projects.
Productive partnerships may be rewarded, co-workers may be requested to share their health strategies as employees may connect naturally as they learn more about each other’s wellness goals. For ensuring financial well-being leaders need to work upon systems and processes where financial experts advise employees.
HR leadership may train managers to have effective pay conversations with employees to improve perception of fairness. Also, balancing between individual and team incentives may be ensured.
Leaders need to aim at customising compensation packages so that employees have higher well-being such as flexitime and opportunities for professional development. For ensuring physical well-being leaders need to reinforce habits and behaviours that have long term impact and advantages.
It may include sensitisation towards better sleep, exercise and healthy eating habits, arranging for nutrition experts so that employees stay updated with right diet charts and habits.
HR leadership may get incorporated into KPI the communication of the importance of physical well-being as an expectation for managers and HR team may spend efforts in coaching managers to celebrate team members’ personal wellness successes.
Similarly, HR leadership may develop programmes on effective parenting, right childcare, and wellness at home, and may encourage employees to choose community service that is in alignment with their interests, strengths, talents, and expertise so that they are able to contribute to such projects/drives.
For instance, a sales team might contribute effectively towards fundraising for non-profit organisations.
Addressing Emerging Workforce Trends
I was reading about Global Wellness Institute’s Workplace Wellbeing Initiative Trends for 2024 and found that the current landscape of the workforce was marked by several significant trends.
There was a noticeable increase in precarious employment, emphasizing the need for new methods to support workers’ health, including their mental health.
Technology-driven shifts, compounded by the pandemic, have heightened feelings of loneliness, prompting initiatives to foster social connections at work.
With remote work becoming prevalent, there’s a growing demand for virtual communication skills, especially among Gen Z workers. HR leaders, please be prepared to work on advocating these issues!!
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