With 2019 drawing to a close, take a moment to look back over what was achieved throughout the year. Were targets met, were they set correctly to begin with? Did your organisation fulfil its commitments to its stakeholders? What were the key learnings around talent?

As the December festivities take hold, take the time to step back and reset. 2020 is a New Year and with it comes unlimited opportunity. Time to set new goals, both personally and within your organisation.

The CIPD HR Practices in Ireland survey 2019 is a valuable document that focuses our attention on the pain points of 2019 and the emerging issues that organisations will face in 2020 and beyond.

The top organisational priorities over the next two years:

• Talent management
• Increasing agility/flexibility
• Leadership development
• Managing performance

The top HR priorities over the next two years:

• Employee engagement
• Coaching for line managers
• Recruiting and resourcing
• Culture change

A staggering 84% of organisations experienced skill shortages in the past year, with 43% experiencing voluntary employee turnover. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.8% in November 2019 to remain at the lowest level in almost 13 years, new figures from the Central Statistics Office show.

As a result, retention and engagement of employees is top of the agenda in 2020.

The survey suggests key strategies for sourcing candidates and growing the talent pipeline:

• Social media and company website
• Offering flexible working
• International recruitment
• Investment in employer brand
• Succession planning
• Offer cross -functional experiences
• Increasing development opportunities

Finally, well-being at work. Consider how you can help protect your own well-being and also the well-being of those around you in your organisation. Take the time to practice small changes in 2020, that could help improve your own or a colleague’s well-being. Cases of work-related stress are on the rise, particularly related to workload and ineffective management styles. Promoting a culture of work life balance and openness in your organisation can be one way to make positive steps, but can you think of others?

Kate Siberry, Human Resources Consultant