As we enter 2024, the HR department is already facing a series of challenges. The reality of cutting staff to cope with market fluctuations is the first problem HR has to face. Last year, nearly 70% of businesses chose to lay off workers when facing difficulties, followed by a temporary suspension of new recruitment.

In fact, many leaders are having headaches because of the shortage of talent. Typically, from now until 2025, Vietnam needs 700,000 IT workers. Meanwhile, the number of programmers in our country is currently only about 530,000 people, meaning a shortage of nearly 200,000 people.

In the context of having to ensure labor quality at the resource optimization stage, businesses need to invest in training strategies and develop skills for human resources.

The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs 2023 report points out both macro and technological changes to jobs and skills in the next 5 years. Specifically, nearly half of an individual's skills - 44% - need to change across all jobs.

"The skills considered most in demand include: analytical and creative thinking; technological literacy; curiosity and lifelong learning; flexibility; systems thinking; artificial intelligence and big data. Less demanding skills include global citizenship, manual dexterity, endurance, accuracy...", the report said.

Ms. Tieu Yen Trinh - General Director of Talentnet - believes that the above situation is both a challenge and an opportunity for HR to demonstrate its role as a "strategist", accompanying businesses in optimizing internal resources.

"In the past, HR was a carp trained by market changes. This stage requires determination to make impressive leaps to become a dragon," she said.

Ms. Trinh analyzed that a carp must "work hard" to pass the gate of heaven, HR also needs courage, skills, speed, strength from both inside and outside... to meet the changes of trends and business needs.

Accordingly, businesses are required to have a series of soft and hard skills, typically applying technology in management or data analysis to accurately monitor and evaluate employee performance in the current period.

To withstand the pressure of improving their capacity, HR should clearly define the values ​​they will bring to the organization. "Managers need to clearly realize that their efforts are being rewarded with differences in the lives of their employees. That is the intrinsic motivation for HR to overcome all difficulties," Ms. Trinh explained.

According to Ms. Trinh, working hard will not help HR to succeed overnight; instead, this department needs to know how to take advantage of surrounding resources to accelerate development. For example, technology, outsourcing HR services or outsourcing payroll to handle repetitive tasks and manage office administrative activities with higher accuracy.

In addition to recruitment or payroll, HR can rely on external resources to support administrative tasks to reduce workload and optimize operational processes. From this free time, HR focuses on a series of activities that create a difference such as solving resource allocation problems, training personnel or participating in organizational strategies.

"Every carp desires to pass the Dragon Gate and become a dragon. But only individuals who hone their internal strength and rely on external forces can succeed. Similarly, only when HR is well prepared can the path to reaching the milestone be shortened," Ms. Tieu Yen Trinh added.

Van Phat