HR plays a key role in shaping and maintaining good employee communication by developing policies, implementing communication tools, and fostering a culture of openness and feedback.

This go-to guide explains the characteristics of employee communication, the tools you can use to facilitate it, and the steps to help create a successful employee communication strategy.

Contents
What is employee communication?
HR’s role in employee communication
Key characteristics of effective employee communication
7 steps to develop an effective employee communication strategy
Tools to improve employee communication
Enhancing workplace communication with AI
4 real-life examples of effective employee communication

What is employee communication?

Employee communication refers to the two-way communication between an organization and its employees and interactions among colleagues. It includes the exchange of information, knowledge, feedback, thoughts, and ideas.

Employee communication covers various types of communication that take place in an organization, such as:

• Top-down: This type of employee communication involves information and messages flowing from the top down. An example is when the HR team emails the entire organization explaining a new benefits plan.
• Middle-out: This style of employee communication refers to the communication and exchange of information between middle managers and their teams.
• Bottom-up: This communication style amplifies employee voices—employees communicate with and send feedback, suggestions, or complaints to upper management.

Skillful employee communication can increase engagement and cross-departmental collaboration, help build strong relationships, and encourage innovation. Poor employee communication, however, can hinder engagement, morale, and productivity, create uncertainty around expectations, and prevent the organization from reaching its goals.

HR’s role in employee communication 

HR typically develops guidelines and protocols to standardize communication within the organization, ensuring clarity and consistency.

HR professionals must also help align the organization’s communication with its policies at every stage of the employee life cycle, from recruitment and onboarding to performance management and offboarding. You might, for example, be responsible for organizing training sessions to enhance workplace interactions and improve employees’ and managers’ communication skills.

Another important aspect of your role in employee communication is transparency. By sharing updates, decisions, and policies openly — and encouraging managers to do the same — you can foster a work environment of trust where employees feel valued and informed. HR also regularly gathers employee feedback to drive improvements to communication strategies.

At the same time, you will also mediate between employees and management or different departments, addressing concerns and resolving misunderstandings to maintain a harmonious workplace. Additionally, HR can be responsible for introducing and managing platforms such as intranets, collaboration software, and messaging systems to streamline both hybrid and remote communication.

Addressing common challenges in employee communication

When communication is scattered across emails, chat platforms, and intranets, employees may find it challenging to keep track of what’s important. Centralizing communication into a cohesive platform and establishing clear guidelines on which tools to use for specific purposes—such as announcements, feedback, or collaboration—can help ensure everyone is on the same page.

Excessive emails, messages, and meetings can also overwhelm employees and lead to disengagement.

Annelise further explains, “At the same time, in multicultural organizations, varying cultural norms and language differences can contribute to miscommunication. Annelise advises: “To mitigate this, keep messages simple and straightforward and promote inclusivity through cultural sensitivity training and open dialogue about cultural differences.

“Additionally, without proper feedback channels, employees may feel unheard and become disengaged. Use tools like pulse surveys, suggestion boxes, and open forums to give them a voice. It’s also crucial to act on this feedback and train others to do the same, so employees know their opinions are valued.”

Key characteristics of effective employee communication

The seven Cs of communication (clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete, and courteous) are a great place to start in developing successful employee communication.

Other characteristics of good employee communication between (leadership and) employees include: 

• Two-way interaction: Employee communication should encourage employees to share their thoughts and feedback. 
• Timely messaging: Sharing information at the right time ensures employees are aware of key changes or updates when they need to be and boosts the employer’s reliability and security. 
• Accessibility: Accessibility is key, especially for non-desk workers (like those in construction, transportation, agriculture, or manufacturing). These employees tend to lack regular computer access, making communicating via SMS an ideal alternative.
• Inclusivity: Communication should accommodate diverse teams by addressing cultural and language differences and people with visual, hearing, or other impairments.
• Empathy: Understanding and considering each receiver’s (i.e., the employee’s) perspective creates an environment where they feel valued and supported.

7 steps to develop an effective employee communication strategy

Here are seven steps you can take to help you develop an effective employee communication strategy that will not only increase employee engagement, retention, and satisfaction but also drive positive business outcomes:

Step 1: Determine your employee communication goals

Regardless of your aim, you need to first establish your goals to guide and inform your strategy. Examples include promoting organizational culture, boosting morale, or sharing important updates (or a combination of these). Clearly defining your objectives helps ensure all communication efforts align with the company’s broader mission and business priorities.

Step 2: Know your audience

It’s essential to understand the various employee segments in the company. Remote workers, for example, have different needs and preferred communication channels from their office-based colleagues. Conducting employee surveys or focus groups can help identify preferences, pain points, and the best ways to reach different employees efficiently.

Step 3: Assess and select communication channels

Analyze the company’s workforce demographics to assess the effectiveness of its current communication channels and, where necessary, select and implement new communication tools. Consider a mix of digital platforms (e.g., intranet) and in-person methods (e.g., town halls) to ensure employees receive messages in ways that suit their roles and work environment.

Step 4: Develop and share communication policies

After developing guidelines and protocols to standardize organizational interactions, share these policies with the workforce and ensure everyone knows how to access more information about them. Clear communication policies set expectations on response times, tone, and confidentiality, which helps maintain transparency and professionalism across the company.

Step 5: Create a communication plan and calendar

Depending on your strategy and goals, your communication plan can include a calendar. For instance, if you need to keep employees updated during a merger, you could create a schedule covering important announcements, communication initiatives, and town hall meetings. A well-structured plan ensures consistent, timely, and informative message delivery.

Step 6: Train managers to be communication leaders

Managers are crucial to successful information flow in an organization, both from top to bottom (and vice versa) and in their own teams. It’s important to train them on the company’s employee communication strategy, goals, and policies. Training that includes active listening and message delivery techniques can empower them to keep their teams informed and engaged.

Step 7: Measure, evaluate, and fine-tune

When developing your strategy and setting goals, you should also determine what metrics to use to measure success. To assess the effectiveness of your efforts, gather feedback regularly and make adjustments where necessary. Metrics such as employee survey results, engagement rates, and internal feedback can highlight areas for improvement.

Tools to improve employee communication

The table below lists various tools you can use to help improve your organization’s employee communication. Which tools are most suitable for your organization will depend on your communication strategy and goals and the different employee segments in the company.

Enhancing workplace communication with AI

Here are some examples of how AI can help improve workplace communication—and reduce your workload at the same time:

• Automating communication processes, such as FAQ or often requested documents
• Suggesting more precise language to decrease miscommunication risk
• Transcribing and summarizing meetings and providing everyone access to this information to ensure the whole team is on the same page
• Offering sentiment analysis to assess the emotional context and tone of messages 
• Creating (the basis for) content such as emails, internal presentations, and reports, providing a starting point for employee communication.

4 real-life examples of effective employee communication

In this section, we’ll share some examples of organizations that have successfully implemented employee communication strategies or tools.

Example 1: GWI

GWI is a prominent consumer research company in digital consumer rights. Its more than 500 employees are spread across three continents. 

It relies heavily on Slack to support its global culture of collaboration and togetherness, scale and maintain efficient operations, and successfully onboard new cohorts of people. This is especially important, as part of GWI’s onboarding takes place remotely. 

Example 2: JetBlue

JetBlue, New York City’s hometown airline, has over 25,000 employees, many of whom are non-desk workers. As part of its employee communication strategy, the company developed On The Fly, a custom-branded intelligent communication platform by Firstup.

This platform allows JetBlue to send personalized communications to the right employee at the right time, ranging from critical updates to inspiring recognition stories. This way, non-desk workers can remain connected to the airline regardless of their location.

Example 3: Hickory’s Smokehouse

Hickory’s Smokehouse is a family-friendly restaurant chain with 3,000 employees in the U.K. As the company wanted an employee app to enable two-way communication and connect frontline employees to office-based staff members, it looked to Workvivo to power its social intranet.

The intranet creates a democratized communication platform that allows all employees to contribute, share, comment, and interact on their terms. Since its launch in October 2023, 94% of Hickory’s employees have registered, and 86% are active every month.

Example 4: HubSpot

HubSpot realized its project management team members were communicating with stakeholders and tracking their workstreams manually and in different ways. This wound up created more work for the team.

As such, the company sought a platform that would give stakeholders easily digestible information and answer the needs of their creative partners. Work management platform Asana enables them to review, edit, and collaborate on work across the entire organization, and track design and marketing projects.

To sum up

Clear, open, and inclusive employee communication keeps the workforce informed, engaged, and motivated. HR plays a key role by setting communication policies, using the right tools, and fostering a culture of transparency. With the right strategies and technology, companies can improve teamwork, boost productivity, and keep everyone connected.

This, in turn, leads to better business results. Companies that constantly listen to employees, train managers well and adjust their approach tend to see higher engagement and stronger performance. Whether through instant messaging apps, structured policies, or AI-driven insights, businesses that communicate skillfully will not just get by—they will thrive.

The post What Is Employee Communication? Your All-in-One Guide [2025 Edition] appeared first on AIHR.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at employee sabbatical leave, including the benefits of going on a sabbatical, the key elements of a sabbatical leave policy, and real-life examples of sabbatical ideas and programs. 

Contents
What is sabbatical leave from work?
Why is a sabbatical important? Benefits for employees and employers
Sabbatical leave policy: Key rules and template
Sabbatical program examples
FAQ

What is sabbatical leave from work?

A sabbatical leave is a period in which an employee takes an extended break from work, with the agreement that they can return to their job once the leave is over. The reasons for taking a sabbatical can vary from pursuing further academic studies, working on a personal project, volunteering, traveling the world, or spending more time with family. Most sabbaticals are unpaid, but employers sometimes agree to pay the employee a reduced rate or retainer to secure their return.

Companies typically only grant sabbatical leave to employees who have been with the company for a certain amount of time. As such, sabbatical leave can be considered a type of employee benefit and is increasingly becoming a recruitment and retention tool.

The word “sabbatical” comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat,” meaning rest, and was originally tied to the biblical practice of taking every seventh year off for rest and renewal.

How long is sabbatical leave?

Although there is no standard length for sabbatical leave, it is usually longer than one month and can last up to a year. Less than four weeks is normally taken as annual leave, while breaks longer than a year are often viewed as a career break.

Types of sabbatical leave

Some of the common types of sabbatical leave include:

• Sabbatical from work: Sabbatical leave from an existing job, often offered as an employee benefit.
• Career sabbatical: A form of career break, usually longer than a year, commonly taken by people who have started a family or those exploring alternative careers.
• Professional sabbatical: Focused on gaining new skills, certifications, or experiences in a professional context, such as volunteering in a related industry, participating in leadership training, or working on a personal project that aligns with career goals.
• Academic sabbatical: Leave is used to pursue professional qualifications, conduct research, or write a book that will help to further the employee’s professional development.
• Mental health sabbatical: A sabbatical for employees who feel stressed or burnt out because of their job or other responsibilities.
• Health or recovery sabbatical: Focused on addressing physical health challenges, recovering from illness or surgery, or dedicating time to improving overall wellness.

Sabbatical vs. leave of absence

Most types of leave, such as sick leave, annual leave, or parental leave, have a time constraint, whereas sabbaticals can usually last from one month to a year.

Unlike other types of leave, sabbatical leave is not mandated by laws; therefore, it’s up to the organization’s HR department to create a suitable policy.  

Why is a sabbatical important? Benefits for employees and employers

Going on a sabbatical has benefits both for the employee as well as their employer. Let’s start with the positive effects of a sabbatical leave on employees: 

• Less stress: According to a study conducted among university professors, those who went on sabbatical experienced less stress at work upon their return. 
• Increased psychological resources: The same study found that people who returned from sabbatical leave benefited from an increase in psychological resources such as health, a sense of control and independence, energy, and even more professional knowledge! 
• Increased wellbeing: Unsurprisingly, the above led to an increase in the overall wellbeing of those who enjoyed an extended break from work. A recent report stated that 65% of employees have felt burnt out at some point due to their work, and a sabbatical can lead to positive, lasting changes when the employee returns.
• Life experience: Taking a sabbatical is a brilliant way for employees to build life experience and return to work wiser, more resilient, and with new perspectives.
• Upskilling: Many companies (including Deloitte, Buffer, and McKinsey) now offer paid sabbaticals, during which employees can further their education and build skills and knowledge to progress in their careers. 

Offering employees the possibility to take a sabbatical comes with benefits for employers too: 

• Building a healthier, more productive workforce: Employees who return from a sabbatical often feel recharged and healthier, which can lead to improved morale, stronger collaboration with colleagues, reduced absenteeism, and potentially higher productivity.
• Succession planning stress test: Research shows that sabbaticals for executive leaders, particularly in non-profit organizations, provide a valuable opportunity to test the organization’s leadership capacity and identify areas for improvement in succession planning. While the ‘number ones’ are on sabbatical, aspiring leaders have the opportunity to grow, take on new responsibilities, and demonstrate their leadership skills. As such, a person’s sabbatical leave can be a good opportunity to stress test your succession planning and, if necessary, adjust it.   
• Ready for unexpected absences: Being dependent as a team on one or more individuals is never a good thing. Having people go on a sabbatical pushes managers and teams to prepare for (long-term) absences so that when someone does leave, the business can continue as usual. 
• Employer brand & talent acquisition: Offering employees a sabbatical shows that you care about your workforce and that you reward loyalty. While a sabbatical program won’t be the number one reason candidates choose to work for you (and it shouldn’t be), it can make a difference when a candidate compares one company to another. Research led by HR software provider ADP found that 20% of employees would accept a sabbatical instead of a pay rise.
• Increased retention: Giving employees the freedom to take a longer period of time off helps employees feel their personal development and wellbeing are valued, which helps to boost retention. Plus, when denied a sabbatical, your top performers may otherwise quit, so avoiding this will help you save time and money recruiting and training replacements. 

Sabbatical leave policy: Key rules and template

Sabbatical leave rules

Here are some things to consider when creating your sabbatical leave rules:

• Eligibility: Sabbaticals are often used to reward employees for their loyalty. Therefore, people usually become eligible for a sabbatical leave after they’ve spent a certain period with the company and are often at a senior level, for example, after 5 years of service. Determine the criteria that will make your employees eligible for a sabbatical. 
• Duration: Can people take three months off or a year? Does the duration depend on how long they’ve been working for the company? What’s the maximum period you will allow employees to go on a sabbatical leave? 
• Frequency of sabbaticals: Once an employee has taken a sabbatical, are they entitled to take another one in the future? If so, when? An organization might require an employee to complete a further set number of years in the organization before requesting another sabbatical. 
• Paid vs. unpaid sabbaticals: This will often depend on budgets and the length of the sabbatical. Some companies decide to pay a certain percentage of an employee’s salary while they’re on sabbatical leave, others pay full salaries, and there are also organizations that decide not to pay. You can also decide to pay (or not) depending on the reason someone wants to take a sabbatical. 
• Other benefits: Will the employee continue to receive their other benefits, such as health insurance, pension, company car, etc., during their sabbatical?    
• Application & approval: How can employees apply for a sabbatical? Do they have to write a formal letter of request, or can they simply use the company’s time off request form? How much time in advance do they need to apply? Who needs to approve the sabbatical leave? How long can an employee expect to wait before receiving a decision on their application?
• Conduct during leave: Your sabbatical rules should include guidelines for employees on maintaining your code of conduct, even if they’re not actively working. For example, nondisclosure agreements should be adhered to, and behavior on social media should not reflect badly on the company. 
• Return to work: Agree on a date for the employee’s return to work, whether they will have their old job back or be given a similar role, and the terms that will be offered. This should be arranged before the employee leaves. HR should also create an official plan to welcome the employees back on their return, provide them with any training needed, and arrange for them to meet new colleagues. 

It’s essential to consider all of the above to create a well-structured process to manage sabbaticals in your organization.

Sabbatical leave policy & template

Having a formal sabbatical leave policy in place streamlines how the leave works and helps to protect both parties. Download our sabbatical policy template and use this as a base to create your own policy that works for your organization.

Sabbatical program examples

If you’re thinking about including a sabbatical leave in your employee benefits or modifying your existing sabbatical policy, take a look at these five examples of companies that have successfully implemented a sabbatical program.

Bank of America sabbatical

Bank of America’s sabbatical program allows employees to take 4-6 weeks of additional paid time off after completing 15 years of service with the company. Employees can take up to two sabbaticals, the second after a further five years of service after the initial leave. The aim of the sabbatical program is to allow employees to recharge and boost their wellbeing. 

Intel sabbatical

Intel offers eligible employees the option to take a four-week sabbatical after four years of service or an eight-week sabbatical after seven years of service. Eligibility criteria aren’t disclosed to non-employees, but Intel states that its intention for offering sabbaticals is to give employees the chance to try something new, explore, spend more time with family, and return to work refreshed with new perspectives. 

Workday sabbatical

Workday offers six-week paid sabbaticals to employees who have worked for the company for at least 10 years. They are also eligible to take sabbatical leave every ten years after that. Workday requires eligible employees to request their sabbatical at least six months before the start date of the leave. The sabbatical must be taken as one continuous period.

Monzo sabbatical

Employees of the British online bank Monzo are entitled to one month of unpaid leave per year in addition to 26 paid vacation days. Those who have worked for the company for at least five years are also able to take a eight-week paid sabbatical. Monzo has no specific requirement for how employees can spend their sabbatical, which leaves it entirely open for employees to decide what they will most benefit from. 

Adobe sabbatical

Eligible employees at Adobe are entitled to take a four-week fully paid (including all benefits) sabbatical after five years of service. After 10 years, they can take a further five weeks sabbatical. After 15 years, they can take six weeks. Every five years after that, they are entitled to take a six-week paid sabbatical.

These rules apply to employees who work 24 or more hours per week. They need to apply 60 to 90 days in advance.

To conclude

Sabbatical policies vary greatly across organizations. But whether they last four weeks or a year, and whether they’re spent volunteering abroad or at home with family, they can have a positive, long-lasting impact on both employees and organizations.

FAQ

The post Employee Sabbatical Leave: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on AIHR.

In this article, we discuss 18 succession planning tools and software. We’ll highlight their main features and what’s unique about them to help you find the right tool for your organization.

Contents
What are succession planning tools?
Best succession planning tools & software
1. Simple succession planning template in Excel
2. CEO succession planning template
3. 9 box grid
4. Arcoro
5. Built
6. ClayHR
7. Cornerstone OnDemand
8. Dayforce
9. ELMO Software 
10. Empxtrack
11. PageUp Succession Planning
12. PeopleFluent
13. Plum
14. SuccessionNow
15. SumTotal
16. TalentGuard
17. Qooper
18. Workzoom
FAQ

What are succession planning tools?

Succession planning tools are software applications, platforms, or templates designed to help companies identify, prepare, and develop employees who will fill critical roles in the organization in the future.

Put simply, these tools support organizations in their navigating succession planning process, which focuses on: 

• Critical roles only: Not every role in the organization is relevant for succession planning. 
• Selecting and developing key talent: Companies select their best people to nurture and train them so that they can one day take over when someone else leaves. 
• Ensuring continuity: The whole idea behind succession planning is to ensure that when someone in a critical role decides to leave the organization, the position can be filled smoothly by someone ready to take over.

As such, succession planning tools and software assist in the strategic workforce planning process and help organizations minimize disruptions and maintain business continuity.

Best succession planning tools & software

Succession planning tools can range from simple Excel templates for tracking potential candidates to sophisticated platforms with features like AI-driven analytics, competency mapping, and development plans. The right tool depends on the organization’s size, needs, and budget.

We’ll start with free “offline” tools and then look at popular succession planning software solutions.

Please note that this list is compiled based on publicly available information. We have not tried the software solutions ourselves, with the exception of AIHR’s tools.

1. Simple succession planning template in Excel

If your organization is just starting out with succession planning, a simple spreadsheet can be a great way to create a clear overview of key positions and potential successors. This basic template helps you map out essential details and get started. It includes fields like:

• Position for succession
• Current position holder’s name
• Timeline for successor to fill the role
• Key competencies required for the role
• Succession candidates’ names
• Readiness rating for each candidate
• Brief description of each candidate’s development plan
• Performance metrics and KPIs for the succession plan and candidate performance
• Performance monitoring frequency (e.g., monthly, quarterly)
• Contact person (supervisor or manager) to notify if the role becomes suddenly vacant.

It is straightforward and easy to customize, making it ideal for organizations in the early stages of succession planning.

2. CEO succession planning template

A CEO succession planning template serves as a detailed roadmap for the board of directors to ensure smooth leadership continuity. It organizes the process of identifying, evaluating, and preparing candidates to fill the CEO role while factoring in key considerations specific to the organization’s future.

This template helps define the ideal CEO profile based on the organization’s strategic priorities, anticipated challenges, and future goals. A well-structured template also ranks potential candidates—both internal and external—based on readiness and alignment with the company’s needs.

A CEO succession planning template is an indispensable tool for creating alignment among board members by clarifying priorities, expectations, and processes for selecting the next leader.

3. 9 box grid

The 9 box grid is a helpful framework for identifying top employees best suited for succession. This tool evaluates employees based on two key factors: performance and potential, helping you pinpoint your “stars”—those who score high in both areas. These high-potential, high-performing employees are the ones who will drive the future success of your organization.

This tool provides a structured way to assess readiness and suitability for key positions, ensuring that when roles become vacant, there is a strong pipeline of talent ready to step in.

You can download our free 9 box grid template and guide. Fill in employee names and assess each individual’s performance and potential levels. Then, they will be automatically sorted into the right talent segment.

4. Arcoro

Arcoro is an HR software company that provides solutions for construction companies, contractors, municipalities, and manufacturers. 

What’s unique: Arcoro highlights its succession planning software’s ability to let companies review employee readiness and performance for promotion with 9 box talent matrices and scorecards. This enables organizations to leverage performance data, development plans, and competencies.

5. Built

Built is a succession planning tool that helps companies create accurate, automatically updated succession plans and receive critical alerts when action is required.  

What’s unique: Built’s succession planning software integrates with a company’s Human Resources Information System (HRIS). This means plans get updated automatically when people change roles or leave the organization. The tool also allows for collaborative, real-time access so that key stakeholders and managers can access plans anytime and actively contribute to the process.

6. ClayHR

ClayHR is a company that provides a comprehensive, cloud-based HRM solution that helps mid-sized and large-sized enterprises manage their entire employee life cycle, from onboarding to employee records and from performance management to retention, all in one integrated platform. 

What’s unique: “Nurture tomorrow’s leaders with ClayHR’s AI-driven succession planning.” This is the company’s promise to its clients. Something that caught our eye is the tool’s ‘Ask HR’ feature. Next to many other conversational and information retrieval capabilities, this virtual assistant enables employees nearing retirement or transitioning to document and share their vital insights by uploading key documents and knowledge. This, in turn, ensures a seamless knowledge transfer and a smooth, well-prepared start for successors.

7. Cornerstone OnDemand

Cornerstone OnDemand is a cloud-based learning, talent management, and talent experience software provider headquartered in California. Their succession planning tool is designed to help companies ensure they have the right people for key-role continuity and avoid talent vacancy costs by increasing bench strength. 

What’s unique: With Cornerstone, you can “Prepare your organization for tomorrow by identifying top talent and creating development paths today.” Their tool, among other things, allows businesses to create succession plans that identify skill gaps and then fill them.

8. Dayforce

Dayforce is a global people platform providing payroll, HR, benefits, talent, and workforce management solutions all in one place.  

What’s unique: Dayforce highlights various interesting features on its succession planning page. One is around ‘promotion readiness,’ meaning that the tool allows organizations to clearly identify where employees are in their development path and readiness for promotion, enabling them to keep their top performers happy and boost retention.

9. ELMO Software

ELMO Software is a cloud-based HRIS provider that helps companies automate and streamline HR processes such as payroll, benefits, recruitment, onboarding, and performance management. It’s particularly popular in New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. 

What’s unique: One of the things that the company highlights is the tool’s ability to easily filter and sort employees for future succession development based on their criticality, readiness, flight risk potential, and performance ratings. ELMO also mentions its ability to cater to every organization’s level of maturity and to scale with the organization as it evolves or needs change.

10. Empxtrack

Empxtrack is a comprehensive HR product that covers an organization’s entire employee life cycle. Its succession planning tool offers a systematic process for identifying key leadership positions in the organization and identifies high-potential employees using 9 or 12 grid matrices.

What’s unique: Empxtrack’s software lets companies make not one but several succession plans for people. This means that they can create a short-, medium-, and long-term succession plan for each critical role and involve multiple stakeholders in the process.

11. PageUp Succession Planning

PageUp offers a complete talent management solution from recruitment marketing to performance management and learning. Their succession planning tool helps companies get to know their people to reduce flight risk and plan ahead. 

What’s unique: PageUp’s succession planning software allows organizations to regularly review their talent and calibrate live using the 9 box tool. Companies can use this information to identify and nurture people with the potential and desire to fill roles required now and in the future.

12. PeopleFluent

PeopleFluent is a talent management and learning solutions provider that helps organizations hire, develop, and advance their workforce. Its succession planning software equips companies with a complete, flexible, and functional toolset that gives them what they need to make the right decisions about their organization’s future. 

What’s unique: PeopleFluent’s flexible succession planning toolset caters to mid-sized and large companies, giving each type of organization exactly what it needs to make the right decisions for the future. 
In a large company, for example, this could mean focusing on leadership vulnerabilities, while in the mid-enterprise segment, it could mean focusing on mentoring and career pathing.

13. Plum

At Plum, they are on a mission to empower organizations to be successful by getting the right people in the right roles. Their solution offers scalable strategic workforce planning and upskilling that prioritizes an outstanding experience for every employee. 

What’s unique: Plum distinguishes itself by emphasizing that Industrial/Organizational Psychology and AI power its software. By identifying critical skills such as strategic thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability, the tool gives companies insights they can use to fast-track leadership development and build a resilient team.

14. SuccessionNow

SuccessionNow is a platform that caters to the succession planning needs of organizations of all sizes and provides an easy-to-use solution to the complex problem of leadership transition and replacement. 

What’s unique: One thing that immediately caught our interest is that the platform is built by succession planning professionals with over thirty years of experience in the field. Who better to develop a succession planning solution than the people whose job it has been to take care of precisely that: succession planning, right?

15. SumTotal

SumTotal is a talent management and learning software provider. Its succession planning tool makes it possible for organizations to understand skills and competency gaps across their workforce, develop talent pools, and align succession management needs to the goals and strategic objectives of the organization. 

What’s unique: Among other features, SumTotal mentions the option to leverage their n-box grid for team visibility. By doing so, companies gain critical insights into readiness and potential, which helps them identify top talent and model succession implications.

16. TalentGuard

TalentGuard is a leading provider of AI-powered workforce intelligence solutions designed to help organizations optimize their talent management processes. Its succession planning software enables companies to determine key roles, identify high-potential employees who can fill those roles, create dedicated talent pools, and accelerate the development of skills required for success. 

What’s unique: TalentGuard explicitly mentions the option to create an unlimited number of dedicated talent pools as one of their tool’s key features. They also mention the option for companies to keep their talent pools up-to-date with real-time data on candidate availability, skill levels, and performance metrics.

17. Qooper

Qooper is a company that provides corporations, associations, and universities with employee mentoring and training software. However, the company also is a one-stop-shop for all succession planning initiatives. 

What’s unique: Qooper focuses more on executing a company’s succession planning program than the other succession planning software providers mentioned in this article. As such, it brings together learning paths, mentorship and peer learning, workshops, discussions, and learning activities in one simple platform.
A cool feature that caught our eye is the tool’s smart matching algorithm that suggests the best mentorship matches for an organization’s employees. 

18. Workzoom

Workzoom provides HR, payroll, workforce, and talent software to help companies automate and consolidate their people management.

What’s unique: Workzoom emphasizes the importance of ‘bringing your succession plans to life.’ To do this, their solution focuses on three things:

• High plan visibility
• Helpful reports and; 
• Opportunities for regular communication.

These elements combined ensure that an organization’s leadership better understands the importance of dedicating resources and time to developing future talent. 

Before you go

Succession planning is an important yet underused method for companies to ensure their critical roles remain filled and the business can continue as usual. 

If you’re looking to get started with or enhance your company’s succession planning efforts, exploring the tools for succession planning listed in this article is an excellent starting point. Based on your company’s size, budget, and (future) needs, you can choose a simple standalone solution or one that is part of a full-suite package.  

FAQ

The post 18 Succession Planning Tools and Software [2025 Edition] appeared first on AIHR.

The ability to use HR tech is clearly an integral part of a career in HR, so it’s important to keep up with the latest trends. This article discusses the advantages of human resources technology and the top 13 HR tech trends to watch in 2025.

Contents
What is HR technology?
The benefits of HR technology
13 HR technology trends to watch in 2025

The benefits of HR technology

Technology in HR has been instrumental in enabling efficiency and data-driven decision-making. It also integrates with the broader shift toward digital transformation in businesses worldwide.

When properly executed, it generally positively impacts HR, employees, and organizations as a whole. Its benefits include:

• Addressing challenges: HR tech solutions can help address challenges like time-intensive manual processes, scalability issues, and improving the employee experience. 
• For HR professionals: HR technology can enable greater efficiency and help improve HR decision-making through data analytics. This can also lead to higher employee satisfaction. 
• For employees: Combining HR and technology can help create a better employee experience. For instance, employees may have more autonomy to do certain tasks and opportunities for learning and development. 

Trend 1: AI and machine learning in recruitment 

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are revolutionizing recruitment by automating repetitive tasks, improving decision-making, and enhancing candidate experiences. These technologies address common inefficiencies and biases in traditional hiring methods, making them highly important to HR teams today.

Key applications

• Résumé screening: Tools like HireVue use AI to filter resumes quickly based on skills and qualifications.
• Reducing bias: AI focuses on candidate skills and experience, promoting diversity by ignoring demographic factors.
• Predictive analytics: Platforms like Workday analyze data to predict candidate success and retention.
• Chatbots: Tools like Olivia by Paradox handle tasks like answering FAQs and scheduling interviews.

Example in practice

Unilever’s adoption of AI in recruitment involves using Pymetrics to evaluate candidates through neuroscience-based games and HireVue for AI-analyzed video interviews. The company uses AI for résumé screening and video interviews, cutting hiring time by over 50,000 hours and boosting diversity.

Trend 2: More personalized HR self-service 

Employee self-service portals have two main benefits: employees can be in charge of their data and information, and HR teams can shift their focus from administrative tasks to strategic initiatives.

HR self-service has become better aligned with individual preferences through technology such as AI. A good example of this is the experience-driven HR service model, which allows HR to balance efficiency, cost, technology, and employee engagement to deliver HR services.

Key applications

• Personalized dashboards: Employees can view tailored content like performance goals, benefits, and learning opportunities in one place.
• Custom benefits management: This includes tools that let employees explore, compare, and choose benefits packages based on their preferences and eligibility.
• AI-powered chatbots: Virtual assistants that provide instant answers to HR-related queries, such as leave balances or payroll issues, without human intervention.
• Learning recommendations: Platforms can suggest personalized training and development opportunities based on career aspirations and past activities.

Example in practice

Walmart’s One Walmart portal allows its large, diverse workforce to manage their work schedules, payroll, and benefits. Employees can also access training videos, the latest company updates (e.g., quarterly earnings), and career support resources on the platform.

Trend 3: A focus on employee experience platforms

An employee experience platform (EXP) centralizes and streamlines the interactions between organizations and their employees throughout the employee life cycle. Employees can find all the resources they need on an EXP, access training, manage daily tasks, and more. 

A frontline employee experience platform (FEXP) does the same, but specifically for frontline workers in retail and hospitality. With over 80% of the global workforce consisting of frontline workers, an increased focus on FEXP solutions is likely in 2025.    

Key applications

• Centralized communication hubs: Employees access company updates, news, and announcements in one place, ensuring alignment and transparency.
• Integrated learning tools: EXPs offer on-demand training, certifications, and career development resources tailored to individual goals.
• Feedback mechanisms: Employees can provide input and share concerns through integrated surveys and feedback tools, enabling continuous improvement.
• Wellness and support features: Tools for mental health resources, wellness programs, and access to benefits that prioritize employee well-being.

Example in practice

Toyota uses a FEXP called Firstup, which is branded One Toyota. More than 80,000 employees are registered on the platform and use it for practical purposes, such as accessing their payslips, checking their schedules, or engaging with cultural company initiatives.

Trend 4: Predictive analytics becoming more commonplace

Predictive analytics in HR uses data-driven algorithms to anticipate workforce trends, optimize decision-making, and proactively address potential challenges. These tools empower organizations to avoid issues like turnover, skill gaps, and engagement dips.

Key applications

• Turnover prediction: Algorithms can analyze historical data to help identify employees at risk of leaving, enabling targeted retention efforts.
• Workforce planning: Trends in company growth, market conditions, and employee performance data allow you to predict future hiring needs
• Skills gap analysis: This helps you to forecast skills your organization will need in the future and design upskilling programs to bridge these gaps.
• Engagement forecasting: You can use this to analyze employee engagement patterns to predict dips in engagement and implement strategies to maintain morale.

Example in practice

Cisco uses predictive analytics to determine its workforce planning approach, which helps it proactively fill skills gaps and anticipate future needs. Its people leaders use internal HR and external market data to project skills needs and improve performance management.

Trend 5: Further integration of collaboration tools solutions

Integrating collaboration tools with HR systems enhances workplace connectivity, streamlining communication, project management, and employee engagement. These solutions bridge the gap between operational tasks and HR functionalities, creating a more unified work environment.

Key applications

• Seamless communication: Collaboration tools like Slack, Teams, or Zoom integrate with HR platforms to allow employees to connect effortlessly and access HR resources without leaving their primary workspace.
• Task management integration: Linking tools like Asana or Trello with HR systems ensures smoother project delegation and tracking, aligned with employee performance and objectives.
• Onboarding and training: Integrations with collaboration tools allow new hires to complete onboarding tasks and access training modules, enhancing their experience.
• Recognition and feedback: Integrated features for shout-outs, recognition, and feedback make it easy to acknowledge achievements and provide real-time input.

Example in practice

Upflex uses Google Workspace because it offers teams instant, real-time collaboration. This allows them to collaborate on documents, workspaces, and calendars without needing to deal with complicated access permissions or send email attachments.

Trend 6: The use of AI to drive learning and development 

AI in learning and development already has many applications, as the Learning and Development function has pioneered the adoption of AI in HR. Examples include providing learning recommendations, improving analytical insights, and curating content. AI will play an even bigger role in changing the employee learning experience in the next few years. 

Key applications

• Accessibility: Generative AI advances have made learning more accessible to all employees, converting texts into Braille for sight-impaired learners and transcribing audio and video content into text for hearing-impaired learners. 
• Coaching: AI can act as a learning coach, providing suggestions and real-time feedback to learners. Wondder, for example, uses virtual reality (VR) and AI to give input on scenarios like DEIB situations and performance discussions.       
• Personalization: AI can use various data sources (e.g., learner interests, career goals, assessment data, etc.) to suggest personalized learning. 

Example in practice

LinkedIn Learning has introduced an AI-powered coaching system in the form of a chatbot. It allows its users to ask for guidance on specific business questions. The chatbot acts as a coach and guides members through their learning journey, recommends learning content based on the user’s job and situation, and answers specific questions.

Trend 7: Blockchain for secure data management 

Blockchain technology can greatly improve data security and integrity, streamline HR processes, and increase compliance with regulatory requirements. Additionally, it offers interesting benefits for employee data management, such as enhanced security, transparent and auditable records, and data privacy and consent.

Key applications

• Certification and credentialing: Blockchain enables a secure verification and storage of training records, employee credentials, and certifications.
• Identity verification: Blockchain-based identity verification technology allows your organization to ensure secure verification of employee identity and qualifications. 
• Recruitment and hiring: Blockchain-based technology can also conduct background checks, verify candidate credentials, and record employment history, creating a transparent and secure process.  

Example in practice

The Estonian government has implemented a blockchain-based solution called X-Road to manage employee data and provide secure access to government services. X-Road acts as a decentralized data exchange layer, allowing different institutions to efficiently access and share employee records without compromising privacy.

Trend 8: Employee listening technologies and sentiment analysis  

Employee listening technologies help organizations gather feedback, assess employee morale, and identify concerns through tools like surveys, pulse checks, and sentiment analysis. These systems use data analytics and AI to interpret employee feedback, offering insights that improve workplace culture and engagement.

Key applications 

• Pulse surveys: These short, frequent surveys capture employee feedback on specific topics, allowing you to act quickly on issues like work-life balance and team morale.
• Sentiment analysis: AI-powered tools can help you analyze the language used in employee feedback, emails, or chats to gauge emotional trends and attitudes.
• Engagement metrics: Real-time dashboards can measure engagement levels based on responses to feedback tools, offering HR and leadership actionable insights.
• Crisis management: Through sentiment monitoring, you can detect early signs of discontent or burnout, enabling proactive intervention from HR and managers.

Example in practice

Qualtrics offers employee listening solutions through EmployeeXM, which incorporates AI-driven sentiment analysis. Qualtrics’ tools enable the analysis of open-ended survey responses, supporting the understanding of employee sentiment beyond numerical ratings.

Trend 9: Expansion of wellness and mental health tech tools

Organizations increasingly adopt wellness and mental health tech tools to support employee wellbeing. These solutions address physical health, mental resilience, and stress management to ensure a healthier and more productive workforce.

Key applications 

• Integrated digital wellness platforms: Such platforms can consolidate all the organization’s wellness tools for employees in one place (e.g., nutrition guidance, meditation apps, fitness trackers, and mental health check-ins).   
• Personalization: The use of AI and data analytics can allow your company to offer employees tailored mental health programs to address their specific individual needs.
• Employee assistance programs (EAPs): Digital EAPs provide can counseling, financial advice, and stress management resources through secure apps.

Example in practice

Enterprise software and services company CoEnterprise uses the holistic wellness platform Wellable for its wellness initiatives. Its main purpose is to drive active employee participation and foster a culture of health amongst its fully remote workforce.

Trend 10: Using AI agents to drive repetitive task automation

More companies are using AI agents to automate repetitive and time-consuming HR tasks, freeing up HR teams to focus on strategic initiatives. These agents use machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) to handle tasks efficiently and accurately.

Key applications

• Recruitment automation: AI agents can screen résumés, schedule interviews, and send follow-up communications, reducing manual hiring efforts.
• Succession planning: AI agents can identify high-potential employees and create development plans for future leadership roles in the organization. 
• Onboarding: During onboarding, AI agents can streamline document collection, task tracking, and orientation scheduling, creating a seamless onboarding experience for new hires.

Example in practice

IBM Watson uses an AI agent to uncover workforce trends, analyze employee data, and identify developmental needs. Through personalized recommendations, the tool enables the company’s HR team to make data-driven decisions about training and hiring. 

Trend 11: SaaS dominance in HR solutions 

SaaS (Software as a Service) has become the dominant model for HR software solutions. In fact, according to LinkedIn, the HR SaaS market is currently valued at $20 billion and is expected to grow at a 9.8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2024 and 2031. 

Key applications

• Simplicity, scalability, and flexibility: SaaS solutions are cloud-based, so companies don’t have to invest in expensive hardware. They are also scalable and flexible, so they can easily adjust to changing business needs. 
• Regular, automated updates: SaaS vendors can provide maintenance and system upgrades remotely, simplifying the organization’s IT management. 
• Easy integrations: HR SaaS vendors also integrate with third-party solutions companies may use for benefits, recruitment, payroll, and other HR functions. Ensuring core HR data are consolidated in one place.

Example in practice

BambooHR simplifies recruiting, onboarding, and record-keeping with its cloud-based SaaS platform. It automates job postings, and candidate tracking, while its onboarding tools handle paperwork and training digitally. It stores employee data on a secure central database, simplifying access to profiles and compliance records, and improving efficiency.

HR tip

When buying HR technology and building your HR tech stack, ensure the new tool(s) can integrate easily with the ones you already use. If not, ask the vendor if they can build a custom integration system for you because a set of tools that can’t communicate with one another will be counterproductive.

Trend 12: Cybersecurity and responsible AI 

As HR systems become more data-driven, it’s critical to safeguard sensitive employee data and ensure ethical AI-driven decisions. Cybersecurity measures and responsible AI practices help organizations protect data and build employee trust.

Key applications

• Data encryption: This helps secure sensitive employee information—such as payroll and personal particulars—to prevent breaches.
• Bias detection: AI systems can identify and mitigate biases in hiring and promotions, ensuring fair outcomes in recruitment, hiring, and talent management.
• Access controls: Role-based access ensures only authorized personnel can view sensitive data, reducing risk and unwanted exposure.
• Incident response: You can use tools that monitor and quickly respond to cybersecurity threats targeting HR systems, preventing or minimizing any attack’s impact.

Example in practice

Microsoft Azure provides secure cloud-based HR solutions with advanced encryption, access control, and AI bias detection. The platform protects sensitive employee data through robust encryption and multifactor authentication. It also supports integration with HRIS, enabling seamless access to analytics, recruitment, and performance management tools.

Trend 13: Hybrid and cloud-based solutions 

Hybrid and cloud-based HR solutions enable companies to access critical HR functions from anywhere, supporting a mix of in-office and remote work. These platforms provide flexibility and scalability to meet the needs of modern workforces.

Key applications

• Cloud-based payroll: This can help you streamline salary processing and tax compliance, with secure remote accessibility to make the process more convenient and efficient.
• Employee portals: These self-service platforms allow employees to manage their data, benefits, and schedules from any location.
• Learning management systems (LMS): LMSs are cloud-hosted training programs offering on-demand skill-building for hybrid teams.
• Collaboration tools: These tools facilitate integrations that support communication and project management among distributed teams.

Example in practice

Workday’s cloud-based HR platform supports payroll, talent management, and analytics. It automates payroll processes, supports recruitment and performance management, and provides real-time workforce insights, helping organizations streamline operations and make data-driven decisions.

Having a defined HR technology strategy, architecture, and roadmap is crucial for long-term success. Falling into the trap of never maturing our technology stack leads to a lot of unused functionality, low adoption, and a lack of ROI. Having a solid strategy and roadmap is the first step in ensuring you can maximize the potential of HR technology.

Dr Dieter Veldsman, Chief Scientist (HR and OD), AIHR

To sum up

Trends like AI, blockchain, and predictive analytics are transforming how businesses enhance efficiency, engage employees, and solve challenges. Adopting the right tools can help you streamline operations and create a better employee experience.

To future-proof your HR strategy, focus on secure, scalable, and user-friendly tech that supports collaboration, wellbeing, and data-driven decisions. The right HR technology can not only make your job easier and more efficient, but it can also help you enable both organizational success and employee satisfaction.

The post 13 HR Technology Trends To Watch in 2025 appeared first on AIHR.

Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of HR conferences that have caught our attention for next year. The good news is many offer virtual options, and some are even free. With that in mind, why not pick out a few that match your goals and professional interests?

In our chronological list, we break down price, location, in-person or virtual, where it’s located, and why you should attend.

Contents
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

January

From Day One: Benefits & Total Rewards | January 22

Format: Virtual

Cost: Tickets cost $49 (early bird), $99 (advance purchase) or $149 (general admission).

Why attend? Focusing on the theme Innovation in Total Rewards: How Creative Leaders Are Finding Affordable Solutions, this five-hour conference will cover topics like recognition and rewards, cost efficiency, and easing the childcare crisis. From Day One is also a recertification provider for SHRM and HRCI, which means the session is eligible for three credits from both organizations.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

Cannexus25 | January 27-29

Format: In-person and virtual options

Location: Rogers Centre Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada

Cost: Register to learn more about ticket prices.

Why attend? Known as Canada’s largest bilingual career and workforce development conference, Cannexus25 will see a national gathering of Indigenous Skills and Employment Training (ISET) program holders discussing wise practices. There will also be a special “Military-connected” stream focused on supporting veterans transitioning from military to civilian employment or further education, as well as their families.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

February

Talent Acquisition Week | February 3-6

Format: In person

Location: Paradise Point Resort & Spa, San Diego, CA, U.S.

Cost: Ticket prices start at $1,595.

Why attend? As a long-standing conference, Talent Acquisition Week is the place to be for TA professionals and HR leaders. Packed with three events in one week, attendees can look forward to engaging sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more. 

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

CPHR Alberta HR Law Conference | February 11

Format: Virtual

Cost: $425 for members and $475 for non-members.

Why attend? The CPHR Alberta HR Law Conference offers in-depth learning that will address a range of current and emerging HR law trends from some of Alberta’s top law firms, including AI in the workplace, workplace investigations, and DEIB. 

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

World HRD Congress | February 17-19

Format: In person

Location: Taj Lands End, Mumbai, India 

Cost: Email secretariat@worldhrdcongress.com or use their online registration form to learn more about registration and fees.

Why attend? Next year’s theme focuses on New HR Paradigms and how a new mindset is needed to prepare HR for the future. With multiple events to take place over the course of the conference, attendees will be able to learn and hear from a number of peers and experts, including AIHR’s Chief Scientist (HR and OD), Dr Dieter Veldsman.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

People Analytics World Conference | February 26-27

Format: In person

Location: Zurich, Switzerland

Cost: Email contact@tucana-global.com or register if you are interested in learning more about ticket pricing.

Why attend? Organized by an international community of professionals, industry leaders, and technology developers dedicated to people analytics.his event, this annual event promises to be a “pivotal gathering of HR and People Analytics professionals” who want to drive innovation and influence the future of their organizations.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

March

i4cp’s Next Practices Now Conference | March 3-6

Format: In-person and virtual options

Location: Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, Scottsdale, AZ, U.S.

Cost: Member tickets are $3,795 for in-person and $1,295 for virtual; for non-members, tickets are $4,295 and $1,795, respectively.

Why attend? This conference will cover important current topics like generative AI and HR, addressing anti-DEI challenges, and organizational culture change. You’ll also be able to network with top HR executives in a vendor-free environment.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

HR Tech Europe | March 4-5

Format: In person

Location: RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Cost: Tickets start at €245 but are free for HR leaders (see if you qualify here).

Why attend? HR Tech Europe is the region’s leading HR innovation event. It focuses on medium to large enterprises across industries and is committed to driving HR success through innovative technology. Next year’s event will feature AIHR’s Dr Dieter Veldsman among its speakers.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

HR Vision London | March 5-6

Format: In person

Location: Courthouse Hotel Shoreditch, London, U.K.

Cost: £1,799 for early bird tickets and £2,499 for regular tickets.

Why attend? HR leaders from around the world will gather at HR Vision London to explore the latest HR tech advancements. Attendees can look forward to learning about modern leadership, L&D, and talent acquisition strategies, as well as networking with peers and industry experts.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

HRWest 2025| March 11-12

Format: Oakland Marriott City Center, Oakland, CA, U.S.

Cost: Tickets cost $399 (early bird), $799 (regular), and $999 (on-site).

Why attend? With the theme HR Evolved: Thriving in Change, this conference will feature its “Super Seven” tracks of HR tech, HR strategy, talent, legal and compliance, leadership, wild, and health, wellness, and benefits. Through these tracks, you’ll learn about everything HR needs to thrive in 2025.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

HRcoreLAB’s 13th Summit| March 12-13

Format: Porta Fira Hotel, Barcelona, Spain

Cost: €1,150 for early bird tickets (register by December 20, 2024) and €1,650 for regular tickets; tickets are subject to 21% VAT.

Why attend? Touted as “the most comprehensive, disruptive and inspiring strategically orientated HR event of its kind”, the HRcoreLAB summit features the best speakers from leading organizations at study presentations, fireside chats, interactive sessions, workshops, and panel discussions. Next year’s conference will focus on agile HR, digital transformation, and how humans and AI systems can work together synergistically.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

HRPA’s 57th Annual CHRO Summit | March 12-14

Format: In person

Location: Grande Lakes Orlando, Orlando, FL, U.S.

Cost: $1,999 for early bird tickets (register before January 15, 2025) and $2,399 for regular tickets.

Why attend? The summit will gather influential HR leaders for crucial discussions on aligning culture, talent, and strategy while navigating the political environment and seizing 2025’s opportunities. Senior HR executives and their teams will receive timely information and unique insights on the latest, most relevant public policy developments and HR practice issues.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

Transform US | March 17-19

Format: In person

Location: Wynn, Las Vegas, NV, US

Cost: All-Access Passes start at $1,695. Prices will increase as the event’s date approaches. 

Why attend? This three-day conference—said to be at the “intersection of technology and people”—offers hands-on learning, group discussions, and expert speakers, all in a fun atmosphere and plenty of networking opportunities with people leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and talent partners from around the world.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

April

2025 HR Virginia Annual Conference | April 13-16

Format: In person

Location: The Historic Cavalier Hotel and Beach Club, Virginia Beach, VA, U.S.

Cost: Ticket prices start at $450.

Why attend? Next year’s conference theme is Navigating HR Waters, and will bring together thought leaders, industry experts, and practitioners. They will share their expertise on effectively navigating the future of work to prepare your organization for the future.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

HR Retail 2025 | April 15-17

Format: In person

Location: JW Marriott LA LIVE, Los Angeles, CA, U.S.

Cost: $499 for early bird tickets (register by January 31, 2025) and $999 for regular tickets.

Why attend? This conference will cover topics on retail HR specifically tailored to retail workforce needs. Hear from leading retailers about how they plan to move forward and tackle the biggest HR challenges ahead, like talent attraction, balancing competitive compensation and labor costs, and more. 

Visit the conference page to register.

HR Technologies UK | April 23-24

Format: In person

Location: ExCeL London, London, U.K.

Cost: Register your interest to receive updates on ticket prices.

Why attend? HR Technologies UK gives you the chance to meet the technology providers behind anything from full-service HCM systems to small, specific tools on the exhibition floor. You can also gain fresh insights from industry leaders in keynote speeches and seminars. Additionally, you can attend Learning Technologies, Europe’s leading workplace learning event, which will be co-located with HR Technologies UK. 

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

CPHR HR Conference & Expo 2025 (British Columbia & Yukon) | April 29-30

Format: In person

Location: Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Cost: Ranging from $88 to $1,894

Why attend? This HR conference is focused on topics surrounding harmony, reconciliation, DEIB, reducing divisiveness, building a high-performing culture, and overcoming barriers to innovation in the workplace. You’ll get to network with hundreds of peers and fellow HR professionals, access the session recordings on-demand to earn more CPD hours and visit Canada’s largest HR Expo featuring the latest products and services.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

HCI Spark HR 2025 | April 30-May 2

Format: In-person & virtual options

Location: Lake Buena Vista, FL, U.S.

Cost: Tickets are $1,595 if you register before 31 December 2024 and $1,795 afterward.

Why attend? This HR conference covers timely topics like employee engagement, retention, manager development, and leadership. You’ll gain valuable insights into best practices for keeping remote workers engaged and productive, fostering intergenerational collaboration, and using AI and DEIB initiatives to personalize and enhance employee interactions.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

May

HR Tech Asia 2025 | May 5-8

Format: In person

Location: Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, Singapore

Cost: Register to learn more about ticket prices.

Why attend? An established HR conference, HR Tech Festival Asia expects thousands of attendees whose main goal is to learn about the latest HR tech and how it can bring their organizations into the future. This conference offers HR professionals of any caliber the opportunity to refine their skills and learn alongside each other. 

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

UNLEASH America | May 6-8

Format: In person

Location: Caesars Forum, Las Vegas, NV, U.S.

Cost: $1,595 for a general attendee pass before January 31, 2025, and $1,995 afterward.

Why attend? Join other HR professionals from around the world and learn from inspirational keynote speakers who will discuss HR innovation and the future of work. What’s more, Unleash’s Expo will give you an insight into what’s next in HR tech.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

WorkHuman Live | May 12-15

Format: In person

Location: Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, Aurora, CO, U.S.

Cost: Ticket prices start at $1,117 (register by January 12, 2025) and $1,195 (register by April 13).

Why attend? This conference brings together HR leaders, top researchers, and thought leaders for a comprehensive dive into how to succeed in the future of HR through workshops, talks, and networking. 

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

HRcoreNORDIC | May 14-15

Format: In person 

Location: Copenhagen Marriott Hotel, Copenhagen, Denmark

Cost: Ranging from €795 (early bird tickets) to €1,590

Why attend? This HR conference focuses on the future of work and HR best practices in Scandinavian organizations. You can look forward to in-depth looks into topics like AI in HR, HR agility, trend analysis, cultural and digital transformation, upskilling initiatives, international mobility, and many other crucial aspects of HR.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

ATD25 | May 18-21

Format: In-person and virtual options

Location: Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC, U.S.

Cost: Tickets start at $1,895 (virtual) and $2,095 (in-person) for members, and $2,295 (virtual) and $2,495 (in-person) for non-members.

Why attend? ATD25 will cover multiple learning tracks, including future readiness, instructional design, talent strategy and management, and leadership and management development. You’ll benefit from the expertise of thousands of HR professionals worldwide, including AIHR’s Dr Dieter Veldsman.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

22nd EAWOP Congress| May 21-24

Format: In person

Location: O₂ universum, Prague, Czech Republic

Cost: From €440 for early bird tickets (register before 31 March 2025) to €595 for onsite tickets.

Why attend? The 22nd EAWOP (European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology) Congress features the theme Transforming Working Environments: Challenges & Opportunities and will cover topics like CSR and sustainable development, coaching and mentoring, and DEIB.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

Employee Engagement Summit 2025 | May 22

Format: In person

Location: Evolution London, Battersea Park, Chelsea Bridge, London, U.K.

Cost: Single tickets are free, premium tickets are £145 (plus VAT)

Why attend? This HR conference hosts a variety of presentations, roundtable sessions, and case studies. It promises to equip attendees with practical tips and strategies to implement at their organization and build a people-centric culture where people thrive. 

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

June 

HR Vision Amsterdam | June 4-5

Format: In person

Location: Postillion Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Cost: €1,699 (early bird tickets) and €2,499 (regular tickets).

Why attend? Focused on practical tips for curating an effective and collaborative workplace, this top European HR conference brings together leaders who discuss HR insights that help motivate your approach to talent management. You’ll also be spoilt for choice with over 50 sessions within three conference streams to pick from.

For conference details and registration, go here.

CIPD Festival of Work | June 11-12

Format: In person

Location: ExCeL, London

Cost: Register your interest to get updates on ticket prices.

Why attend: Hearing from industry thought leaders, attendees will learn about the evolution of business and people strategies needed for the future of work.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | DEI Unlocked: Driving Growth, Creativity, and Success | June 12-13

Format: In person 

Location: New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn, NY, U.S.

Cost: Sign up for updates on ticket pricing.

Why attend? This conference will bring together over 200 top-level practitioners with a shared goal of harnessing DEI’s full potential to create truly inclusive and equitable workplaces. The agenda will focus on the practical ideas and processes behind the desired results, from data-driven solutions to the best methods for obtaining stakeholder buy-in.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

SHRM Annual Conference and Expo | June 29-July 2

Format: In-person and virtual options

Location: San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA, U.S.

Cost: From $2,095 for a virtual pass to $2,995 for an in-person pass.

Why attend? This event is the largest gathering of HR professionals in the world, with around 25,000 attendees. SHRM offers four days of interactive sessions, panels, seminars, and networking opportunities. A wide range of topics fits any HR professional’s wish list and enables you to develop the HR skills you need to grow your career.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

July

SIOPSA 2025 Annual Conference | July 21-25

Format: Virtual (July 21-23) and in-person (July 24-25)

Location: South Africa (venue TBA)

Cost: TBA

Why attend? The Society for Industrial & Organisational Psychology South Africa (SIOPSA) will hold next year’s annual conference with the theme Future Proofing The World of Work for The Greater Good. It promises to capture how the fundamentals of where, how, and why we work are being redefined, and you’ll have the chance to collaborate with psychologists, psychometrists, academics, HR practitioners, and business leaders.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

August

AHRI National Convention & Exhibition 2025 | August 19-21

Format: In-person

Location: Sydney, Australia

Cost: TBA

Why attend? The AHRI (Australian HR Institute) National Convention & Exhibition is the top annual event for Australia’s HR professionals. It brings together HR practitioners, business leaders, and industry experts to discuss and explore the latest trends, challenges, and advancements in HR. Next year’s theme will be Ignite: Fuelling Human Potential; you can subscribe to get updates on this and other AHRI events.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

HR Florida Conference & Expo 2025| August 24-27

Format: In-person and virtual options

Location: Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, Kissimmee, FL, U.S.

Cost: Tickets start from $1,149.

Why attend? The HR Florida State Council, a state affiliate of SHRM, will present its 47th annual conference under the theme The Power of The Ripple Effect. One of the largest HR conferences in the southeastern U.S., it’s attracted over 1,500 HR professionals and vendors from all over the world. You can network with industry peers and even have the opportunity to earn maximum credits for both the HRCI and SHRM Competencies Certifications.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

September

Talent Management Reloaded Europe | September 14-16

Format: In-person and virtual options

Location: Hotel Palace, Berlin, Germany

Cost: Ranging from €895 (digital event pass) to €3,249 (all-inclusive event pass).

Why attend? This HR conference offers a variety of interactive sessions and practical workshops that will give attendees the know-how to excel in talent management and help transform their organizations.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

HR Tech Las Vegas | September 16-18

Format: In-person and virtual options

Location: Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV, U.S.

Cost: Sign up to be notified when registration opens to learn more about ticket prices.

Why attend? For over 25 years, HR Tech has offered quality education and the chance to grow your network by connecting with thousands of like-minded peers and industry experts. Topics at next year’s event include creating a culture of transparency for HR, financial wellness, and building international teams without friction.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

October

Gartner HR Symposium/Xpo | October 7-9

Format: In person 

Location: ExCeL, London, UK

Cost: €3,275 (early bird price), €4,250 (standard price), and €2,950 (public sector price). All ticket prices are subject to VAT.

Why attend? This HR conference is an excellent event for CHROs and HR leadership teams. With great success in the last years breaking through and helping foster innovation, Gartner aims to help CHROs learn new ways to shape their role and the HR function. Next year’s event will also cover topics like the future of work and HR technology.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

UNLEASH World 2025 | October 21-22

Format: In person

Location: Paris Convention Centre, Paris, France

Cost: Register your interest to receive updates on ticket prices.

Why attend? UNLEASH World is one of the world’s most influential HR conferences. It focuses on how the latest HR technology can revolutionize the world of work and features interactivity, connection, discovery, and entertainment. Additionally, the exhibition is now offering HR, recruitment, and learning professionals the opportunity to attend as exhibition visitors—free of charge.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

November

HR Week: New Horizons| November 17-21

Format: Virtual

Location: Online

Cost: TBC

Why attend? The biggest virtual HR conference is being held for the 7th time in a row, and the focus in 2025 is New Horizons. The entire HR ecosystem has been going through an intense transformation, and everyone is excited to learn: what comes next? Join HR Week to hear from experts all around the world and find out!

Get the latest info on the conference page.

HR Vision London | November 18-19

Format: In person

Location: Courthouse Hotel Shoreditch, London, U.K.

Cost: Ranges from £1,499 (early bird tickets) to £2,499 (regular tickets).

Why attend? This conference features two days of thought-provoking discussions on the future of work, including the latest trends in HR, talent management, and leadership. You’ll also learn how HR analytics and HR tech are revolutionizing people management practices and even gain exclusive access to a year-round network of HR professionals to connect with.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

December

Employee Well-Being | December 4-5

Format: In person

Location: New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn, NY, U.S.

Cost: TBA

Why attend? At this conference, you can examine the complex causes for the decline in workforce well-being, as well as emotional, physical, and financial solutions that will lead to a happier, more productive workforce. Through keynotes, panels, interactive exercises, networking, and case studies, you’ll learn to make smarter and better investments in well-being strategies, practices, and programs.

Visit the conference page for more info and to register.

Over to you

HR conferences, whether virtual or in-person, are an excellent way to learn about best practices in your area of HR, explore how HR can make a tangible business impact, and connect with other HR professionals to share your experiences and develop new ideas.

Enjoy the HR conferences of 2025!

The post 38 Top HR Conferences To Attend in 2025 appeared first on AIHR.

This article defines coaching and mentoring in the workplace, highlights the differences HR should know, explores key skills for each role, and provides real-world examples. Let’s begin!

Contents
What is coaching?
What is mentoring?
Coaching vs mentoring: 11 key differences
Skills required for effective coaching and mentoring
How HR can help develop coaching and mentoring skills in the organization
Company coaching and mentoring examples

What is coaching? 

Coaching in the workplace consists of a range of activities that allow employees to grow personally and professionally. Think of one-on-one or peer coaching, performance coaching, digital coaching, or a combination of these. 

Workplace coaching should be a collaborative process between a coach and a coachee (the employee). It’s designed to help the employee improve skills, achieve specific outcomes, or overcome challenges. 

It’s a structured, goal-oriented process that is typically performance-driven and focuses on specific results within a set timeframe.

What is mentoring?

Mentoring in the workplace is an intentional, usually one-on-one, relationship between two individuals. The more experienced employee (the mentor) provides guidance, advice, and support to the mentee. There are various types of mentoring, such as traditional mentoring, peer mentoring, and reverse mentoring.

Mentoring is typically a long-term, relationship-based process focused on career development and personal growth. Its goals are twofold: on the one hand, mentoring is an excellent way to transfer knowledge and skills, and on the other, it offers an opportunity for emotional support, confidence-building, and networking.

Benefits of coaching and mentoring 

The table below lists some of the key benefits of coaching and mentoring:

Coaching vs mentoring: 11 key differences 

While there certainly is some overlap between coaching and mentoring in the workplace, the philosophy behind the two approaches is not the same. 

This section explores some of the key differences between coaching and mentoring. Bear in mind that, in general, these are ways in which mentoring differs from coaching. As with everything, there are exceptions to the rule.

1. Short-term vs. long-term

A more obvious difference between mentoring and coaching is the timeframe related to each approach. 

• Coaching tends to be more short-term, ranging from a couple of months to a year.
• Mentoring typically is more long-term, with most mentorships lasting a year or two (sometimes even longer). 

2. Performance-driven vs. development-driven

• Workplace coaching is mostly performance-driven and focuses on achieving specific results within a set timeframe, such as helping employees gain or improve particular skills.
  Mentoring is more development-driven and focuses on the mentee’s (career) growth beyond their current role.

HR tip

Create a structured framework that outlines clear goals for both short-term performance improvements and long-term career growth. This framework should be applied across the organization to standardize the coaching/ mentoring approach. 

3. Formal vs. informal structure

Another difference between coaching and mentoring is their structure. 

• The coaching process tends to be well-structured, with clearly defined, measurable goals and regular meetings. 
• The mentorship process tends to be slightly more informal, with meetings required by the mentee when they sense a need for them. That is not to say, though, that for a mentorship to be successful, it wouldn’t be helpful to schedule regular meetings.

4. Task-oriented vs. development-oriented

• Coaching tends to be more task-oriented.
• Mentoring tends to be more development-oriented. 

5. Guidance vs. advice

Perhaps the most significant difference between mentoring vs coaching lies in the approach of each method. 

• A coach tries to guide their coachees to discover that information for themselves.
• A mentor primarily gives advice and information.

HR tip

Encourage coaches to use open-ended questions that prompt employees to discover solutions on their own. For mentors, emphasize the importance of sharing relevant advice and personal experiences to guide career development.

6. Coaching feedback vs. mentoring feedback

• Coaching feedback: Feedback is (should be) an integral part of any workplace coaching program. It is a two-way street where the coach shares their observations and insights with the employee, and the employee offers their thoughts on and perceptions of the coaching process. The aim is to optimize the coaching experience and subsequent results.   
• Mentoring feedback: The situation is slightly different in a mentorship. While feedback should certainly be welcomed and can be helpful for both the mentor and the mentee, it doesn’t play as crucial a role as in the coaching process. 

7. Coaching vs. mentoring outcomes

Another difference between coaching and mentoring is the outcomes of each method:  

• At the end of a coaching journey, the results are usually visible and measurable; they have been from the get-go. 
• At the end of a mentorship, however, the results tend to be less tangible and can be found more in the mentee’s overall growth and development.     

8. Agenda setting

• In a coaching program, the coach and coachee set the agenda together. They decide on the goals, the success metrics, and the timeline. 
• In a mentorship program, the mentee primarily decides on the agenda while the mentor tries to support and facilitate that agenda as best they can.

HR tip

Guide coaches and mentors on how to approach agenda-setting effectively. For coaches, encourage collaboration with the coachee to define clear goals, metrics for success, and a realistic timeline. In mentoring programs, remind mentors that the mentee should lead the agenda-setting process, and their role is to support and facilitate those goals.

9. Coach expertise vs. mentor expertise 

The difference between a coach and a mentor is not always obvious. One thing that’s usually different, however, is that: 

• Coaches are more likely to have been trained in coaching skills and methodology. 
• Mentors typically draw primarily from their (professional) background and experience.

10. Coaching questions vs mentoring questions

• In a coaching relationship, the coach often asks thought-provoking questions that elicit insights from the coachee so that the latter can take action based on those insights.
• In a mentorship, questions are more mentee-driven, and the mentor’s answers share their experience or offer direct advice.    

11. The role of the coach vs. the role of the mentor

There is a significant difference between a mentor and a coach in terms of their role. 

• A coach tries to get the best out of people by instilling awareness and self-directed learning
• A mentor mostly shares their wisdom and knowledge.

Skills required for effective coaching and mentoring 

Coaching and mentoring employees in the workplace require mastering certain skills. Both a coach and mentor will need to have a particular skill set they can tap into to guide their coachees or mentees properly.

In this section, we examine various coaching and mentoring skills. Some will apply to both coaching and mentoring in the workplace, while others are more relevant to one of these approaches.

Coaching and mentoring skills 

Skills that are important for coaches and mentors alike include: 

• Active listening: Active listening is perhaps the most important skill for successful mentoring and coaching. It’s about listening to understand, which is crucial if you want to truly support your coachee or mentee. It’s the starting point and foundation of the coaching and mentoring relationship and requires observing what verbal and nonverbal messages are being sent. 
• Communication: There are many different communication skills, including active listening. Other examples are observing first before responding and the ability to adapt your communication style depending on the person you have in front of you.    
• Empathy and emotional intelligence: Both empathy (the ability to understand how other people feel) and emotional intelligence (the ability to recognize and manage the emotions of other people as well as your own) are critical to successfully coaching and mentoring employees in the workplace.     
• Presence: This skill requires a lot of practice for most people and is something that we may never fully master. Yet, being fully present in the moment is the greatest gift you can offer as a coach and mentor to your coachee or mentee. It allows them to be fully present as well, which, in turn, gives them the capacity to expand.     

Coaching skills

On top of the skills listed above, some additional skills are essential for being a good coach, including:

• The ability to ask the right questions: This is a key coaching skill, as asking the right questions will get the coachee thinking, gain insights, and swing into action.
  What are the ‘right’ questions you ask? They are open-ended questions, not disguised as statements, and asked with genuine curiosity. 
• The ability to give (and receive) constructive feedback: Feedback is an integral part of the coaching process. Coaches need to master the art of giving and receiving feedback, which can look different from one coachee to another.  
• Ability to set clear and actionable goals: A coaching process is characterized by its aim to achieve specific results within a set time frame. The coach’s ability to set clear and actionable goals—together with the coachee—plays a vital part in making this happen.  
• The ability to stay neutral: “Coaching is primarily about asking, not telling,” one article fittingly stated. For the coach, this means remaining neutral. They don’t insinuate, share their opinion, or give advice. Instead, they encourage reflection and the action that follows from it. 

HR tip

If you want to offer coaching to all employees, consider using a digital coaching tool. These tools can be with or without a human touch and can be a great way to scale your organization’s coaching efforts beyond just the leadership team. 

Mentoring skills

In addition to the skills mentioned at the start of this section, being a good mentor requires the following skills as well: 

• Strong relationship-building: A successful mentorship is based on a strong relationship and trust between the mentor and mentee. A good mentor keeps their promises, shows up on time, keeps conversations with their mentee private, and takes accountability when needed. All of these things create trust and foster open communication with the mentee. 
• The ability to share experiences and offer career guidance: This skill allows mentors to assess the situation and decide what part of their lived experiences or knowledge can benefit their mentees most at this particular moment in time. This skill is also about knowing how to best communicate with mentees to ensure they genuinely capture the information you want to convey. 
• The ability to instill confidence: In line with the previous skill, a good mentor knows how to make their mentees feel confident about themselves and their potential for success. They recognize when to share which experience or piece of advice, they know when to praise their mentees’ achievements privately and publicly and offer sincere feedback when needed.    
• Networking skills to create opportunities: A good mentor uses their network to create opportunities for their mentees.

How HR can help develop coaching and mentoring skills in the organization

HR plays an important role in developing coaching and mentorship programs and initiatives to implement and drive coaching and mentoring employees in the workplace.

You can support leaders in developing coaching and mentoring skills through various initiatives like: 

1. Organize workshops or seminars: These sessions could focus on coaching and mentoring skills such as active listening, giving and receiving feedback, asking the right questions, and emotional intelligence. 
2. Develop a resource library: This may sound more complicated than it is. It simply means providing an online space that holds all the resources you have about coaching and mentoring that is easily accessible (i.e., coaching models, templates, best practices for mentoring and coaching, etc.).
3. Encourage mentoring and coaching within your HR team: To become a good coach or mentor, you need to experience being coached or mentored first. Consider pairing experienced HR leaders with emerging HR leaders to coach and mentor them.  
4. Check your data: You can analyze performance data and employee feedback to help leaders identify the areas where coaching or mentoring could have the biggest impact and take targeted action. 
5. Consider conducting a training needs analysis (TNA): In line with the previous point, you can conduct a team training needs analysis to detect knowledge and skills gaps and then bridge them using (most likely) workplace coaching.

Company coaching and mentoring examples 

There are many different types of coaching and mentoring in the workplace, varying from peer coaching and reverse mentoring to leadership coaching and micro-mentoring. 

This section shows some real-life examples of coaching and mentoring employees in the workplace.

Coaching examples

Example 1: Google’s CareerGuru

Google invests heavily in employee coaching through an in-house coaching program called CareerGuru. This program connects Google employees (Googlers) with its 350 internal professional coaches (Gurus) from around the world. The program aims to help Googlers determine their objectives, roadblocks, progress opportunities, and steps to accomplish their goals.

Google employs a coaching model that consists of six crucial components:

1. Providing timely and specific feedback
2. Delivering difficult feedback in a motivational and thoughtful way
3. Tailoring approaches to meet individual communication styles in regular one-on-one meetings
4. Practicing empathetic ‘active’ listening and being fully present
5. Being aware of your mindset and that of the coachee
6. Asking open-ended questions to discover a coachee’s acumen.

Example 2: Alphabet’s peer coaching

Google’s parent company, Alphabet, offers a peer coaching program for its employees called g2g (Googler to Googler). The program focuses on people’s professional and personal development, and employee participation in the program has increased by more than 200% over the past few years.

Mentoring examples

Example 1: Randstad leadership development and onboarding

Randstad’s leadership development mentoring program covers a range of different mentoring initiatives, such as #ReloadYourStrengths, which aims to develop employees’ leadership skills by pairing them with senior employees.

Another initiative is its Insider Program, which incorporates mentoring into the company’s new hire onboarding process. It pairs new hires with mentors ahead of their first day to better prepare them for their roles and their place in the company.

HR tip

Consider implementing a buddy system at work. A buddy system can be a great way to introduce new hires to your organization’s mentoring practices right from the start while also giving them access to the support and knowledge they need during their onboarding.

Example 2: Reverse mentoring at General Electric

Reverse mentoring, a type of mentoring in which younger, less experienced employees mentor their more mature co-workers, was first used at General Electric in the late nineties. The idea was to help managers develop their technological skills inspired by the younger generations. 

Unlike traditional mentorship programs, reverse mentoring encourages a two-way exchange of skills, knowledge, and perspectives between employees of different generations. Several companies today, such as Danone, IBM, Accenture, and Orange, have reverse mentorship programs as they’re a flexible, efficient, and inexpensive way to help their employees grow.

To sum up 

Coaching vs. mentoring methods are both effective ways to support employees and help them grow professionally and personally.

Which method is best suited for which employee depends on their particular needs and circumstances. The overview of key differences between coaching and mentoring in this article can help you decide what to choose.

The post Coaching vs. Mentoring: 11 Key Differences & Skills Needed appeared first on AIHR.

This article explores 27 HR buzzwords, providing you with a handy resource to refer to when you encounter a fancy-looking word or phrase in the HR field.    

Contents
What are HR buzzwords?
23 trending HR buzzwords
A
B
C
D
E
G
I
J
L
N
P
Q
R
S
T

What are HR buzzwords?

HR buzzwords are popular terms or phrases used in Human Resources and often in wider society to capture current workplace trends, strategies, or ideas. 

These HR buzzwords increasingly derive from trends that start on social media platforms such as TikTok or LinkedIn. We’ll see examples of this in the section below.

27 trending HR buzzwords

A

1. Anti-perks

Anti-perks are workplace policies, conditions, or practices that negatively impact employees, making their work experience less enjoyable or stressful.

Examples of anti-perks might include:

• Unreasonable workloads or expectations
• Strict attendance policies with little flexibility
• Unpaid overtime or the expectation to work long hours
• Lack of growth opportunities or career stagnation
• Micromanagement that leads to a lack of autonomy
• Poor office environment like uncomfortable workspaces or noisy settings
• Complicated or outdated processes that make work harder than it should be.

B

2. Bare minimum Mondays

Bare minimum Mondays have become a workplace phenomenon in certain companies. The philosophy behind it is that employees get a more leisurely start to their workweek by prioritizing, for example, three or four less time-consuming tasks and keeping the work they do on that day to a bare minimum. Benefits of bare minimum Mondays include:

• Less stress and potentially less burnout among employees 
• Increased productivity 
• Better retention
• No more Sunday scaries.

3. Boomerang employees

Boomerang employees are people who, like boomerangs, leave the organization and then come back again. There can be various reasons why former employees want to rejoin the company; they may be disappointed in their new role or organization they went to work for, perhaps there are better opportunities for growth at their previous company, etc.

Hiring boomerang employees comes with some interesting benefits: 

• They know the organization and its culture 
• They need less time to be operational 
• Their return may boost employee morale.

Potential drawbacks of hiring a former employee again include the fact that they may repeat old (unproductive) patterns and bring a limited fresh perspective. 

C

4. Career cushioning

Career cushioning refers to employees proactively taking steps to secure (cushion) their professional future in case their role changes or is eliminated. Career cushioning activities vary from upskilling and reskilling to (online) networking, searching for jobs, and taking on a side hustle or freelance project.

As an HR department, you may want to let the organization’s managers know what ‘career cushioning signs’ to look out for. These signs may indicate that an employee intends to leave, providing an excellent opportunity to talk with them and see what can be done to retain them.

5. Coffee badging

Coffee badging is a tactic employees use to comply with their employer’s return-to-office mandates. The move is simple: you go into the office just long enough to show your face, log into the system, have a coffee, and then go home again.

Some say coffee badging is an alternative to quiet quitting (also on our list of HR buzzwords); employees still meet the technical requirements of their jobs but remain in control over their office hours and work-life balance.

6. Conscious quitting

Conscious quitting occurs when employees intentionally leave their company for ethical and moral reasons. In practice, this means that especially Gen Z employees will likely leave if their organization’s social and environmental values aren’t aligned with theirs. A couple of tips to prevent conscious quitting can be: 

• Implement Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) actions
• Ask employees for input on what to do and, where possible, act on it 
• Include communication about your ESG and CSR activities in your employer branding strategy.

D

7. Digital nomad

A digital nomad is someone who primarily works online and can, therefore, work from anywhere as long as there is a stable internet connection available.

While some countries and communities aren’t happy with the sometimes rather large influx of digital nomads, which drives gentrification and prices out the local population, others look for ways to welcome them. For instance, the regional government of Extremadura in Spain is offering digital nomads up to 15,000 euros to move to the area to boost the population and the economy.

8. Digital employee experience

Digital employee experience (DEX) reflects how effectively employees interact with the digital tools in their workplace. 

DEX is key to the overall employee experience (the next term on this list) because both frontline employees and knowledge workers in virtually every industry need to use technology to do their jobs.

Digital employee experience includes interacting with the following technologies: 

• Communication and collaboration (i.e., instant messaging, email, video calls, phone calls)
• Learning (professional development and official training)
• Workflow and productivity (customer relations, project management, analytics)
• HR systems (compensation, self-service access to policies, performance management information, PTO, etc.)

E

9. Employee experience 

Employee experience (EX) is like the Mother of all HR buzzwords. It is the HR equivalent of customer experience and refers to how employees feel about the various things they encounter while at a company.

Three elements have a significant impact on the overall employee experience, namely:

• The physical experience 
• The digital experience 
• The cultural experience.

Investing in EX makes a lot of sense from a business perspective, too: Organizations that invest in their employee experience generate more than double the revenue of their competitors that don’t and are up to four times more profitable.

10. Employee journey mapping

One way for companies to assess how their employee journey is organized and identify its strengths and weaknesses is to measure their employee experience. 

Various so-called ‘moments that matter’ throughout the employee journey are key experiences for the employee that employers should measure and monitor. Identifying those critical points in the employee journey can be done using a technique called employee journey mapping. It aims to detect and chronologically list the employee’s ‘moments that matter.’

G

11. Ghost jobs

Ghost jobs are, as the term suggests, fake job listings. According to an article from CNBC, four in ten companies posted fake job listings in 2024. Ghost jobs are coming from real companies, but they refer to vacancies that aren’t real or for which the organization doesn’t intend to hire anyone (anytime soon).

Ghost jobs are problematic because they make it difficult to get an actual idea of what the job market looks like in a country and for institutions like the FED and other central banks to base their policy on.

Reasons why companies post ghost jobs include:

• To give the impression that they are growing 
• To have an active pool of candidates if someone leaves unexpectedly 
• Because they are ‘always looking for good people to join’
• Because the job was filled and they forgot to delete the ad.

HR tip

Create a shared file for the entire People Team to add any new HR buzzword or phrase they encounter and where they discovered it. Once a month, during a team meeting, you can briefly discuss the latest additions to the file and determine whether or not this deserves further attention.

I

12. Industry hopping

Industry hopping refers to people moving from one industry to another throughout their career rather than spending their entire working lives in a single sector.

Industry hopping can be seen as a career cushioning activity (see earlier on our list of HR buzzwords) and has multiple benefits:

• It expands someone’s professional network 
• It leads to a diverse skillset 
• It is likely to increase people’s job satisfaction.

J

13. Job cuffing

Job cuffing is a trend in which employees, especially those in uncertain roles, commit more firmly to their current jobs, often during economic downturns or uncertain times in the job market.

Employees may increase their engagement, take on extra projects, or even signal long-term interest to avoid layoffs or increase their job security.

While job cuffing can boost commitment and productivity, it can also lead to burnout if employees feel they must go above and beyond just to maintain their roles.

L

14. Lazy girl jobs

Lazy girl jobs are low-stress, decently paid jobs that emphasize work-life balance and flexibility over high responsibility or career progression. The phrase gained traction as a way for Gen Z workers to reject hustle culture and opt for roles that allow them to maintain personal fulfillment without the stress of climbing the corporate ladder.

According to Gabrielle Judge, the term’s originator, these roles often offer remote work with annual salaries ranging from $60,000 to $80,000. They aren’t necessarily “lazy” in the traditional sense but rather prioritize mental wellbeing, allowing these workers to maintain a steady income without sacrificing personal time or facing burnout. 

Examples include certain administrative roles, content moderation, or freelance work with predictable and manageable demands.

15. Learning agility

Put simply, learning agility is people’s ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn. It is a mindset that allows employees to continuously grow, develop their understanding, and use new strategies.  

There are a couple of reasons why learning agility is an essential attribute for organizations:

1. It is a predictor for long-term success and drives profit margins
2. Without employees who are learning agile, the organization can’t change
3. It is vital to stay competitive. 

There are various ways to assess someone’s learning agility, including cognitive ability tests and learning agility assessments.

N

16. New-collar jobs

New-collar jobs are on the rise. They require advanced skills in areas like cybersecurity and AI but do not necessarily require advanced degrees. 

New-collar jobs offer significant opportunities for skilled (often blue-collar) employees who: 

• Have the mindset to learn new skills through practical experience or occupational training or; 
• Already have the necessary soft skills.

P

17. Personality hire

Personality hires are people who are hired primarily for their personality. There are, however, some characteristics and soft skills that personality hires often have in common, including: 

• Strong interpersonal skills (teamwork, active listening, empathy, relationship building, etc.)
• A positive ‘can do’ attitude 
• A great culture fit
• The ability to cheer on their co-workers.

As with everything, though, it is important to strike a balance and not just hire people who have the ‘it’ factor on the one hand and people who have the right (technical) skills to do the job they were hired for on the other.

18. Proximity bias

Although proximity bias has existed since the 1970s, it has reached new heights due to the rise of hybrid and remote work, so it deserves a spot on our list of HR buzzwords.

Proximity bias refers to our tendency as human beings to favor those who are literally or figuratively in our proximity. This can be a location, an office, a workplace, or a social circle.

Examples of proximity bias in a hybrid or remote workplace can look like this:

• Remote employees are excluded from important meetings, conversations, and promotions
• Office-based employees are favored
• Employees are promoted based on personal relationships.

Q

19. Quiet hiring

Quiet hiring refers to companies acquiring new skills and addressing (urgent) business needs without hiring new full-time employees. There are various ways to ‘hire quietly’: 

• Upskill and reskill current employees 
• Hire temporary people to do specific tasks 
• Assign current employees to new roles  
• A combination of these.

While quiet hiring allows companies to keep their headcount stable and give existing employees exciting opportunities to grow, it’s important to ensure that you’re not asking too much of your employees or giving them extra responsibilities without a proper raise or promotion.

20. Quiet quitting

Quiet quitting is a bit like a bare minimum Monday (earlier on our list of trending buzzwords), but employees put in the minimum amount of effort all the time instead of just one day a week.

Employees who quietly quit fulfill the requirements for their jobs but don’t work overtime, volunteer for extra responsibilities or projects, or take initiative. In other words, they are not going the proverbial extra mile.

Where’s the line between doing the job you’re hired and paid for and meeting all the extra expectations, like volunteering for additional tasks or working overtime? Isn’t quiet quitting just another way of describing people sticking to their basic job duties?

21. Quittok

Quittok is a trend on TikTok, especially where employees (often from Gen Z) post their resignation stories. Sometimes, people even live-stream themselves while quitting.

For HR departments, this trend of employees sharing their resignation stories and other things like their discontent with internal company policies or their onboarding package on social media means that they are operating in a glass box.

Here are a few ways to manage this: 

• Be prepared: Actively monitor online employer brand perceptions and have preemptive responses for potential PR issues.
• Create a social media etiquette policy: Include this policy in your employee onboarding to align expectations upfront.

R

22. Reverse mentoring

When we think of a mentor, we often imagine someone older and more experienced than us. While this can still be true, the opposite can also be true.

Reverse mentoring can be a great way to bridge the generational gap between employees of all ages and create a mutually beneficial skills transfer.

S

23. Side gig/Side hustle 

A side gig or side hustle is an extra job or project that someone takes on in addition to their primary job. Most of the time, people do side gigs primarily to generate additional income. Still, it can also be a way for them to pursue their passion and eventually start their own business. 

The main benefit of having employees with a side gig is that they will also learn new skills that may be useful in their main job. The biggest downside is that their side hustle may (eventually) distract them from doing their job or lead them to resign. 

24. Sunday Scaries

The Sunday scaries is that feeling of dread and anxiety that, unfortunately, many people experience on Sunday evening, knowing they have to go to work again the following day.

A survey by the Office for Health Improvements and Disparities (OHID) in the UK found that 67% of adults regularly have the Sunday scaries. Among younger workers, this number goes up to 74%.

The good news is that this issue isn’t just tied to people’s jobs—even those who love their work can feel anxious on Sunday evenings. Other factors that contribute include:

• A lack of sleep 
• Overly full weekends (household chores, errands, social gatherings, family visits, etc.)
• Overloaded to-do lists for the week ahead.

T

25. The Big Stay

Following the Great Resignation (another HR buzzword), we’re now seeing what’s called the Big Stay. With a tighter job market and shrinking pay raises for job switchers, more employees are choosing to stay put in their current roles.

According to James Crockett, labor market economist at the CIPD, the so-called ‘Great Resignation’ is well and truly over and has been replaced by the ‘Big Stay,’ with more people opting for job stability. “Falling staff turnover and vacancies also mean the balance of power in the labor market is moving in the direction of employers and away from workers,” he said.

26. The Great People Shortage

The Great People Shortage seems to contradict some of the things mentioned above regarding the Big Stay. According to a report by Korn Ferry, within the next five years, there will be a global people shortage of 85 million people.

Several factors will cause this, including: 

• Most of the baby boom generation will be retired by then, leaving plenty of jobs unfilled
• Birth rates are drastically declining in many (Western) countries
• The Great Resignation (see below) caused a reshuffle in the job market and impacted certain sectors more than others.

While there’s not much that can be done about an entire generation retiring or declining birth rates, companies and their leaders can still influence some things to retain their people, such as the employee experience they offer and striving to be a great place to work.

27. The Great Resignation

The Great Resignation refers to a development that started during the end of the Covid era and reached its peak in the period just after that. Many people reconsidered their career paths, wanted a better work-life balance, or simply didn’t want to return to their jobs – and decided to resign instead.

In the US alone, four million people left their jobs in April 2021, hence reaching its highest level in over two decades. Interestingly, 20% of employees who left their jobs during the pandemic have since boomeranged back to their former employers.

Key takeaway

• HR buzzwords are unavoidable for those who work in Human Resources. While People professionals will know most of these terms, the thing with trending buzzwords is that new terms keep being added constantly.
• Bookmark this page so that you can look it up in this article next time you’re unsure what a buzzword refers to.

The post 27 Trending HR Buzzwords To Know in Your Role [2025 Edition] appeared first on AIHR.

This article discusses the importance of a detailed compensation plan template and how you can use it to benefit your company’s workforce. It also includes a free downloadable template to help you get started.

Contents
What is a compensation plan?
What is a compensation plan template?
Key elements of a good compensation plan template
7 steps to using a compensation plan template
Free compensation plan template
5 types of compensation plan templates
FAQ

What is a compensation plan?

A compensation plan is the sum of all cash and non-cash benefits an employee receives from their employer. In its most basic form, a compensation package consists solely of a salary. More comprehensive compensation packages include base pay and additional benefits, such as company bonuses, stock options, insurance, pension programs, parental leave, and more.

Compensation plans also detail how an organization pays its workers, when employees are eligible for raises, and the company’s bonus structure. 

Compensation planning is typically HR’s responsibility, though a larger organization may have a dedicated compensation and benefits team. It involves finding a strategic approach to balance the company’s financial interests and operational goals with attracting, retaining, and rewarding its employees through fair and competitive pay.

A strategic compensation plan can give organizations a competitive edge in attracting top talent, driving employee satisfaction and retention, and maintaining transparency and fairness.

What is a compensation plan template?

A compensation plan template gives organizations a framework for setting compensation objectives, goals, and targets.

The template is usually divided into various sections or tabs, including financial (or direct) compensation, benefits, retirement planning, and other benefits (e.g., gym memberships, meal plans, EAP programs, etc.).   

A compensation plan template enables companies to detail their compensation plan in a structured, standardized way. This offers organizations greater clarity, saves them time, and helps them ensure they don’t leave any component out of their compensation plans. 

Key elements of a good compensation plan template

A compensation plan is usually part of the tangible benefits a company’s employee value proposition (EVP) provides. Its definition, what it includes, and what the organization communicates to existing and prospective employees must align with the broader EVP. This ensures they receive the same message and information on what the company offers them.

“This is especially important if an organization can’t afford to include a wide range of benefits and perks in its compensation plan. In this case, the intangible parts of the EVP (e.g., career development, social impact, culture, etc.) must be in place to ensure the organization remains attractive to talent,” says Dr Marna van der Merwe, Subject Matter Expert at AIHR.

Here are some critical elements every compensation plan template should have: 

1. Financial compensation: The first section of the template should outline financial compensation for the employee. This refers to the employee’s salary, overtime pay, and raises.
2. Incentives and bonuses: This section should include potential commissions, performance bonuses, and other bonuses (such as signing or referral bonuses). 
3. Benefits: The second part of the template should describe the primary benefits included in the compensation package. Examples include health insurance, medical leave, dental care, workers’ compensation, disability coverage, and parental leave.  
4. Other benefits (and perks): These benefits will vary depending on the company designing compensation plans, but examples include professional development, meal plans, various memberships, flexible work options, and employee assistance programs.
5. Paid time off: The compensation plan should also include paid time off (PTO) to detail how many paid sick days, vacation days, paid federal holidays, and personal days the employee is entitled to per year.
6. Equity compensation: This template section should contain information about the company’s stock-related components if/when issuing equity or stock to their employees.
7. Retirement planning: This part of the template covers things like the employee’s 401(k) plan, pension, profit-sharing plans, and stock options (if applicable).

Together, these elements ensure an organization’s compensation plan is comprehensive, transparent, and adaptable to different business needs.

7 steps to using a compensation plan template

According to Dr Van der Merwe, the steps to using a compensation plan template can be split into three clusters: analyze, design, finalize, implement, and monitor. Doing so will help you better structure your template and offer greater clarity on the different aspects of the compensation package.

Here are the following steps to follow when using this template:

First, analyze

Step 1: Decide on the right template for your company’s needs

The appropriate compensation plan template is crucial in creating an effective compensation plan. Think critically about which template aligns best with business objectives, different employee roles, and industry standards. 

To select the correct template, you must clearly understand your company’s compensation philosophy. For instance, if the organization prioritizes high performance, an incentive compensation plan template is likely the most suitable.

For broader employee compensation, opt for a total compensation plan template. Choosing the wrong template could result in misaligned compensation structures, employee dissatisfaction, or financial inefficiencies.

Step 2: Gather the necessary data

You’ll also need to gather data on your existing compensation structure to create a compensation plan template that includes all the relevant elements of your current plan.

“This analysis should include the ‘as-is’ of your current compensation plan, as well as industry benchmarks and an understanding of employee needs or what your talent audience most values,” says Dr Van der Merwe.

Take into account information about:

• Financial compensation (salary, commissions, bonuses)
• Benefits (health insurance, various types of leave)
• Other benefits (professional development, transportation)
• Retirement planning (401k plans, profit-sharing)
• Equity compensation 
• Legal and compliance requirements.

To ensure your organization stays competitive in terms of compensation and benefits, use this opportunity to review industry standards and, where possible, align with them to make your company more attractive to talent.

Then, design

Step 3: Customize the template 

Existing templates are a great starting point, but you must customize them to meet your organization’s needs fully. This ensures they correctly reflect your company’s compensation philosophy and every component of employees’ pay packages.   

For example, if your company doesn’t offer equity compensation and the standard template you use includes this section, you can simply remove it. If you’re a U.S.-based company offering 401(k) plans that aren’t included in the basic template, you should add this element.

If your organization operates in multiple locations globally, you should make your compensation plan template easily adaptable to match the legal requirements and employee needs in each location.     

Step 4: Define performance metrics 

If any aspect of your company’s employee compensation is tied to performance, the template should also include the employee performance metrics used to assess employee performance.

Ideally, your organization would evaluate employee performance based on predetermined and approved performance metrics. In this case, the definitions of those metrics in the compensation plan template should match those used in the performance management process.

Finalize, implement, and monitor

Step 5: Ensure both the compensation plan and its template are legally compliant

Before implementing a compensation plan template, ensure it complies with the laws and regulations of your company’s geographical location(s).

In France, for instance, employers are legally required to provide employees with meal vouchers unless their workplace has a canteen or the employer provides a meal stipend. Therefore, if your company operates in France, its compensation plan template should include these meal vouchers in the ‘Other benefits’ section.

To ensure your compensation plan template aligns with local labor laws, you must familiarize yourself with the relevant regulations. If your company has a larger budget, suggest engaging professional legal services or expert consultants. This will help your organization avoid costly legal issues that could significantly affect its employer brand.   

Step 6: Review and validate the framework 

Once you’ve finalized the compensation plan template, review and validate the designed framework to ensure it’s relevant to the target audience. You can do this by testing the template on a small group of employees (e.g., a specific team or staff in similar roles).

Piloting the template within your company’s People team is a good idea, as fellow HR practitioners are well-suited to help you refine it before rolling it out to the rest of the organization.

Step 7: Test different scenarios

Compensation plans and templates may need adjusting from time to time. Whether the organization runs into unforeseen issues or an employee’s personal circumstances change, you may have to alter your company’s plan to adapt to these changes.

Some examples where this would apply include promotions, transfers, and mergers and acquisitions. In all these cases, you must update the compensation plan template to reflect the new situation adequately.   

Consider these possible scenarios when developing a compensation plan and templates, then test them wherever possible. Additionally, consider which scenarios are more likely to happen. For instance, since employee promotion is more likely to occur than another organization acquiring your company, it makes more sense to prioritize testing your template in this context.

Free compensation plan template

We’ve developed a free compensation plan template (Word doc) that you can use to develop your own company compensation package.

HR tip

When developing a compensation plan template, involve employees in the review phase. For example, ask them if the definitions you included in the template are clear and if they have any suggestions to improve the document.

5 types of compensation plan templates

Here are five commonly used types of compensation templates:

1. Variable compensation plan template: Companies use this template when employee pay includes performance-based incentives (e.g., commissions and bonuses).
2. Employee compensation plan template: This type of template is suitable for small departments. It usually covers all benefits, individual employee compensation, and the role’s performance expectations.
3. Incentive compensation plan template: You can use this template to lay out your organization’s sales compensation structure. Companies use it to align their incentives with higher objectives and describe their sales commission structure.  
4. Executive compensation plan template: Companies often use this template to structure compensation plans for executives, like the VP of Marketing or Sales. 
5. Total compensation plan template: This template provides a comprehensive overview of an employee’s total compensation package.  

To sum up

Using a clear compensation plan template can make a big difference in how your company handles pay and benefits. By laying out each part of the compensation package, you can ensure everyone knows the details and help your organization stay remain compliant. 

Additionally, customizing the template to fit your company’s needs means nothing is left out, making the whole process of pay and benefits more manageable. This also helps your organization make smarter decisions, stay flexible, achieve financial goals, and meet employee expectations.

FAQ

The post Your 7-Step Guide To Using a Compensation Plan Template (Plus Free Template) appeared first on AIHR.

What is the HR Business Partner model?

The HR Business Partner model is a framework for organizing a company’s HR function so that it can deliver strategic business value.

The HRBP model was first introduced in 1996 by Dave Ulrich and is, therefore, also referred to as the Ulrich (HR) model. The basic principles of the model are as follows:

• HR departments take on more strategic roles
• HR professionals are closer to the business 
• Improving the effectiveness of HR through centers of excellence, shared services, and HRBPs.

The Ulrich model is widely used and very popular for various reasons, including:

• Because it creates a more flexible and responsible HR organization 
• Because it promotes collaboration across the entire company and;
• Because it enables an alignment between HR practices and the organization’s strategy and objectives.

HR Business Partner model vs. traditional HR model

In the traditional setup, the HR department is organized into specialized functions like Recruitment, Employee Relations, Learning and Development, Compensation and Benefits, and HR Administration.

Each function operates as a separate unit, often with its own manager, and focuses on specific areas of HR. The benefits of this traditional HR model are:

• There are clear roles and responsibilities
• There is a depth of expertise in specific areas.

The drawbacks of this model are: 

• It can lead to silos 
• There is less flexibility in the HR function 
• Decision-making tends to be slower.

In the HRBP model, HR is designed to be more integrated and business-focused. Instead of working in isolation, HR functions are organized into three interconnected pillars—HR Business Partners, Centers of Excellence, and Shared Services—all aimed at delivering strategic value.

This setup enhances collaboration, speeds up decision-making, and ensures that HR is closely aligned with business needs.

HR Business Partner model structure

Let’s unpack the HR Business Partner model and dive deeper into its structure.

HR Leadership

The HRBP model is also known as the three-legged stool. The strategic leadership team that designs the HR organization and ensures that HR can deliver on its people priorities forms the top of this stool. Their role is to collaborate closely with senior management to shape workforce strategies that drive organizational success.

The three legs of the stool consist of HR Shared Services, HR Centers of Excellence, and HRBPs. 

HR Shared Services

HR Shared Services refer to a centralized hub of operational and administrative HR duties. They are characterized by:

• Employee self-service and automation through leveraging technology 
• Multi-tiered levels of service and service responses.

An HR Shared Services setup enables organizations to provide standard HR services in an optimal manner. Think, for example, of services such as: 

• Payroll
• Employee data management 
• Benefit and leave administration 
• Recruiting operations
• Learning services.

Organizations that implement HR Shared Services successfully reap various benefits from doing so, including:

• Consistency and compliance: HR matters are always handled consistently, ensuring compliance with rules and regulations.
• Improved employee experience: Employees can find relevant information more easily and resolve issues faster, which positively affects their digital and overall employee experience.
• Operational excellence: Optimized workflows and streamlined processes enable organizations to reach operational excellence. 

HR Centers of Excellence

An HR Center of Excellence (HR CoE) is a specialized team within a company’s HR department that focuses on strategies, the development and implementation of best practices, and tools in particular areas of HR expertise, such as learning and development or compensation and benefits.

Key features of an HR Center of Excellence include:

• Innovation 
• Deep expertise 
• Scalability
• Collaboration
• A focus on continuous improvement.

An HR CoE aims to optimize HR processes and ensures that HR activities are effective, efficient, and aligned with the organization’s goals.

Traditionally, CoEs worked somewhat separately from an organization’s daily business operations. However, as the HR landscape and business needs evolve, so does the role of the HR Centers of Excellence.

Modern HR CoEs are often smaller expert teams that support HRBPs more flexibly. They focus on practical solutions that directly impact business performance and emphasize data and analytics, strategic workforce planning, and D&I.

HR Business Partners

HR Business Partners (HRBPs) are HR professionals who work closely with specific business units or departments within an organization to align HR practices with business objectives. In the HR Business Partner model, HRBPs serve as strategic advisors and consultants to managers and leaders, translating the organization’s overall strategy into people-related solutions.

The HRBP function includes different roles at various levels of seniority, such as HR Business Partners, Senior HRBPs, and the CHRO, to ensure continuous alignment between HR and business needs. 

There’s a difference between what some may call administrative business partners and future-ready HRBPs. The former sits down with a manager, asks how they can help, gets a to-do list, and takes notes.

The latter operate differently. They analyze specific data before meeting with a manager to see where the manager needs help. They also review that manager’s KPIs and enter the meeting with actionable plans. 

The HR Business Partner role needs to become more strategic to truly help organizations increase their productivity, profitability, and competitiveness.

Here’s what the responsibilities of a strategic HR Business Partner should look like:

• Preparing for the future of work and Human Resource management
• Being a consultant and a coach
• Putting business acumen to work
• Building a competitive organization
• Empowering leaders
• Using data to influence decisions
• Strengthening employee experience and company culture. 

Benefits of the HR Business Partner model

The HR business partner model has various benefits, including: 

A more strategic approach

The biggest benefit of the Ulrich model is that it has created a massive shift for HR from the traditional, mostly administrative role to one that actively supports business strategy.

For HR practitioners, this means a greater impact on driving organizational success by designing HR initiatives and solutions that directly address business priorities and challenges.

For the business, it leads to improved overall performance and decision-making in people-related matters through a more strategic HR input.

Strengthening employee and business relations

When well implemented, the HR business partner model strengthens employee and business relations. An example on the employee side is HR self-service options that improve day-to-day experiences by streamlining processes and making HR support more accessible. The HRBP model also fosters close collaboration and productive relationships between departments. This close partnership helps the business stay agile and respond more effectively to challenges.

HR specialization

The model encourages HR specialization – for example, in the HR Centers of Excellence – and enables HR professionals to focus on specific areas, such as employee relations or talent management, increasing their expertise in those areas.

This deeper specialization allows for more informed decision-making, better-tailored solutions, and a higher level of support for both employees and the business.

Faster decision-making

The HRBP model speeds up decision-making by embedding HR professionals within the business, allowing them to access relevant information and provide real-time solutions quickly.

With a direct understanding of business needs and closer collaboration with leadership, HR can address issues more promptly and make decisions that are aligned with the company’s immediate and long-term goals. This reduces delays caused by siloed functions and improves overall responsiveness.

Improved HR collaboration

The HRBP model enhances collaboration within the HR function itself by connecting HRBPs, Centers of Excellence, and Shared Services.

This structure allows for better information sharing and coordination between specialized HR teams, ensuring that expertise from different areas is effectively combined to create comprehensive solutions. The result is a more cohesive HR function that works together to address complex issues swiftly.

Tailored HR solutions

The HRBP model allows for customized solutions based on the unique needs of different departments.

For instance, the sales department might require tailored performance management strategies that prioritize meeting sales targets, rewarding high performers through variable pay, and tracking performance metrics closely tied to revenue generation. Meanwhile, the R&D department may need specialized talent management programs that emphasize innovation, skill development, and long-term project timelines.

By working closely with each department, HRBPs ensure that HR solutions are aligned with the distinct goals and challenges of each area rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

HRBP as a role vs. a function vs. a capability

The terms “HR Business Partner” and “business partnering” can mean different things depending on the context.

HRBP as a job role

In this case, the term HRBP refers to professionals with the actual job title HR Business Partner. HRBPs, first and foremost, form a strategic link between HR and the business. They primarily work with managers to ensure the company’s HR activities align with their needs.

HRBPs take on a variety of responsibilities in a company. Gartner has identified four roles demonstrating how versatile the HRBP is:

• Operations manager
• Emergency responder
• Strategic partner
• Employee mediator.

The HR Business Partner role is constantly evolving, driven by changes in the job market and developing trends in the world of work. 

Unlike traditional HR roles focused on payroll and employee administration, HRBPs are tasked with:

• Aligning HR strategies with business objectives
• Ensuring compliance with HR regulations
• Being a strategic advisor to senior leaders
• Facilitating performance management processes
• Coaching managers on effective leadership practices
• Managing employee relations
• Supporting organizational change initiatives. 

HRBP as a function

The HRBP function refers to a variety of business-facing HR roles responsible for translating business challenges into HR solutions. These roles exist at different levels of seniority. They partner with the business across various leadership tiers to ensure continuous alignment between HR and business needs.

Depending on the business structure and the HR operating model, the HRBP function could include the following roles: 

• HRBPs: Every HRBP is assigned to a senior manager within different business units.
• Senior HRBPs or the HR Director: They partner with the Heads of Department.
• CHRO: They partner with the organization’s CEO and Executive team. 

Collectively, these roles form the Business Partnering function, which is one of the key “legs” of the Ulrich model. It works alongside Shared Services and Centers of Excellence.

Business partnering as a capability or a skill

Finally, we have the term business partnering as a capability or a skill. This refers to the entire HR department having the skills, knowledge, and experience to engage with the business to deliver HR services.

It means that, beyond specific HRBP roles, the entire HR team should have a good level of business acumen to understand business needs, communicate effectively with stakeholders, and deliver tailored HR services that directly support organizational goals.

In essence, business partnering as a capability means that every member of the HR team, from generalists to specialists, should be able to approach their work with a business-first mindset.

HR Business Partner role

When talking about the HR Business Partner as a job role, their main goal is to create a bridge between HR and the business. They have a solid knowledge of that business and know how to help the organization achieve its goals.

But what exactly does this look like in practice? What does the HRBP as a job role entail? 

HR Business Partner job description 

An HR business partner job description will vary from one company to another. However, some typical responsibilities, competencies, and qualification requirements will appear frequently in a job ad for this role.

Responsibilities

The typical HR Business Partner responsibilities include:

• Strategic planning: A good HRBP is able to help the company they work for become future-ready. They focus on the existing workforce and prepare them for the future through reskilling and upskilling. They also identify future talent needs and create strategies to hire and retain the right talent to meet evolving business goals.
• Coaching and consulting leadership on HR matters: An HR Business Partner clearly understands how current and future challenges affect the people in the organization so that they can give adequate advice and coaching to key stakeholders. 
• Building a competitive organization: HRBPs play a critical role in shaping an organization that can outperform competitors. They align talent strategies with business goals to equip the organization with the skills and leadership it needs to succeed. By fostering employee engagement, developing high performers, and improving overall workforce capabilities, HRBPs enable the business to deliver superior products or services, ultimately strengthening the company’s market position.
• Being an employee experience (EX) and company culture champion: A core responsibility of every HRBP is to continuously improve the employee experience and maintain a strong organizational culture.

Qualifications

Companies often require their HRBP job applicants to have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a field related to Human Resources Management, business management and administration, or organizational studies.

An HR Business Partner certification is not mandatory but can give candidates an extra edge during the application process.

HR Business Partner skills of the future 

There are a couple of skills in particular that any future-oriented HR business partner needs to succeed in their role. Successful HR Business Partners are T-shaped, meaning that they master five core HR competencies that any HR professional should possess:

• Business Acumen: HRBPs must have a deep understanding of market trends and customer needs, commercial fluency, and the ability to create strategies that align HR initiatives with broader business objectives. This enables them to contribute to sustainable business results directly.
• Data Literacy: The ability to work with data is essential for modern HRBPs. They need to have data awareness–knowledge of what data is available, how it is collected, and how it can be used effectively. They can apply and communicate data effectively. This helps them derive actionable insights that inform decision-making and increase HR’s impact on the business.
• Digital Agility: HRBPs must be champions of digital adoption, using technology to drive HR’s effectiveness. They prepare the organization for digital transformation, streamline and future-proof HR processes, and, ultimately, help the business remain competitive in a digital world.
• People Advocacy: HRBPs build cultures focused on employee wellbeing and productivity. They are key in managing change, mitigating risks, upholding ethics, and promoting sustainability within the organization, implementing that HR solutions support a people-centric, ethical workplace.
• Execution Excellence: This competency involves action orientation, problem-solving, and strong interpersonal skills. HRBPs must excel at engaging with stakeholders and ensuring that HR strategies are implemented effectively, driving tangible results through purposeful execution.

Then, there are the functional competencies relevant for any (aspiring) HR Business Partner:

• Talent management 
• Performance management 
• Compensation and benefits 
• Understanding HR value chain.

To build a holistic employee experience (EX), HRBPs need a solid understanding of talent management, performance management, and compensation and benefits, which form the basis of the EX. 

A thorough understanding of the HR value chain will equip HRBPs with the foundational knowledge they need to integrate HR policies and practices into comprehensive, business-oriented solutions.

Developing these skills

To build these HR business partner skills, it’s best to take a step-by-step approach and develop a realistic development roadmap for the HRBPs in the organization.

At AIHR, we suggest a three-phased approach that prioritizes the abovementioned skills at different times to create the fastest route to value. In a nutshell, this is what that looks like:

1. Entry to the game: Building solid foundations
2. Adding value: Building emerging skills
3. Making an impact: Differentiating skill sets.

A day in the life of an HRBP

Here’s a sneak peek into a typical day for an HRBP. 

Kick off your day with a hot or cold beverage of your choice. Start by browsing your to-do list and emails and checking your diary to prepare for scheduled meetings, including one with the VP of Customer Success.

You’ve recently reviewed data showing higher-than-expected turnover in the customer success officer role. After analyzing the exit interview data and onboarding feedback, you’ve identified a key issue: new hires feel underprepared and unsupported during their first few months.

You’ve developed a plan to address this by enhancing the onboarding process with structured touchpoints—weekly check-ins with managers and mentorship sessions with experienced team members. In today’s meeting with the VP, you present your solution and discuss implementation timelines. 

Next, it’s time for lunch, followed perhaps by a short walk outside. During the second part of your day, you catch up with the CHRO to align on updates to the company’s hybrid work policy. This includes analyzing recent employee feedback on remote work and ensuring the policy supports flexibility while maintaining productivity and team cohesion. You’ll also discuss how the new policy impacts retention, particularly for top talent in leadership roles.

Finally, you wrap up your day by drafting a communication plan for rolling out the new remote work policy across the organization, keeping in mind that managers must be equipped with the right tools to support their teams in the transition. After a productive day, you shut down your laptop and get a good rest before tackling tomorrow’s challenges.

When to implement the HRBP model

Determining whether the HR Business Partner (HRBP) model is the right solution for your business is crucial when addressing key workforce-related challenges. Not every business will benefit from the HRBP approach, but for organizations facing complex workforce issues or needing a stronger alignment between HR and business strategy, it can provide the targeted support necessary to drive effective change and achieve long-term goals.

We’ve identified five signs that indicate it is time to implement the HR Business Partner model.

1. The size and complexity of the business require a different HR solution 

A larger company usually requires a different HR approach than a smaller one, even more so if the organization becomes active in multiple geographies.

There are a few signs to look out for that may indicate that it is time to switch to the HRBP model:

• The organization’s current HR framework can’t keep up with the company’s growth
• HR processes are starting to become burdensome, and as the company grows, the time it takes to respond to HR-related inquiries is increasing
• The organization’s uniform HR solution becomes ineffective as the company scales
• There is little to no strategic alignment between the organization’s business objectives and its current HR practices.

2. The business feels the pain

Unfortunately, it often takes a bit of ‘pain’, such as retention challenges, difficulties attracting new people, or low engagement levels, for the organization to realize the value of and need for a strategic HR function.

The following may indicate that this is the case: 

• The company struggles to attract and retain talent
• The organization’s HR function mostly concentrates on operational and administrative tasks, while the business requires more robust HR solutions
• The company’s business leaders have different expectations about HR’s role than what HR currently does.

3. Leadership is fully on board with a different type of HR contribution

For the HRBP model to succeed, it is crucial that the organization’s business leaders buy into this new way of ‘doing’ HR. Without their full support, it will be difficult, if not impossible, for HR leaders to implement the model successfully. 

Elements to look out for here include:

• The organization’s senior leadership is committed to the transformation of HR into a strategic partner within the business
• They are willing to provide the necessary resources and support changes in the organizational culture.

4. Willingness to invest in HR in the short term

For the HRBP model to be successful, organizations will need to invest in training, technology, and moving functions that do not belong in HR elsewhere. They need to accept that there will be increased costs in the short term. 

Signs that this is the case can be:

• The business is willing to invest in HR resources
• The organization understands that moving to the HRBP model will increase costs in the short term
• The company is prepared to move non-HR-related roles to different departments.

5. The HR team itself is open to change 

This is perhaps the most critical element of all: knowing whether or not the HR team is willing to adopt the HRBP model going forward. 

Evaluate the team’s readiness:

• Collect feedback from the HR team to assess their willingness to adopt the HRBP model
• Assess the team’s current skill set and whether re-or upskilling, operational approaches, or role changes are required
• Develop a talent strategy that aims to either build the necessary skills internally or acquire them externally. 

There are also a couple of scenarios in which adopting an HRBP model makes less sense, including: 

• Organizations with a highly centralized decision-making process
• Companies in the midst of a short-term crisis or transformation
• Small organizations with little to no complexity.

Challenges in implementing the HR Business Partner model 

Despite its popularity, the HR business partner model falls short of delivering the anticipated results, particularly in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. In many cases, it fails to create the strategic impact on the business that leaders expect, as HR professionals may struggle to align with business priorities or influence key decisions fully. 

Let’s unpack some of the most common reasons why the HRBP model fails:

• The change isn’t managed in the wider organization: Before HR teams even start to think about implementing the HRBP model, they should prepare the grounds, i.e., the organization’s business leaders. The latter need to be fully on board and willing to engage with HR differently for the HRBP model to stand a chance at succeeding.
• A strong focus on implementing the ‘ideal’ model: What often goes wrong is that organizations strive for perfection when implementing the HR Business Partner model. They forget that there will be a transition period in which both the business and HR need time to adjust and correct course where necessary.
  Like a fine wine, the new model will also need some time to mature. Getting stuck in a pursuit for perfection or a high maturity state of the HRBP model will only lead to frustration and failure.
• Changing job titles instead of upskilling people: Many organizations that implement the HRBP model simply rebrand their existing HR practitioners as HRBPs. They forget to enable their HR people to operate in a new way, they don’t explain to them what the new job requirements are or take the time to upskill them where necessary. Unsurprisingly, this leads to ill-equipped HRBPs who are prone to leaving the organization, frustrated managers, and a failed HRBP model.
• Lack of operational excellence: The success of the HRBP model highly depends on two factors: well-working self-service tools and a strong leadership team with a clear strategic vision. What often happens is that organizations cut multiple transactional HR roles before the self-service technologies are fully implemented, creating a significant operational void and burdening HRBPs with a disproportionate amount of administrative duties as a result. This then contributes to the perception of HR as an administrative function rather than a strategic partner.

Enabling effective HR business partnering 

The main goal of the HRBP model is to connect HR deeper with the business; this means that it needs to be operationalized in a way that enables effective HR business partnering.

At AIHR, we have found that organizations that have successfully implemented the HRBP model share the following five success criteria: 

1. The HRBP model is adapted in a way that fits the business context: In organizations where HR successfully partners with the business, we’ve seen that HR teams use a custom version of the HRBP model that aligns with their specific business context. In practice, this means:
   • Aligning shared services with available technologies
   • Structuring HRBPs to mirror the design of the organization
   • Grouping Centers of Excellence to match key HR strategic priorities. 
2. Business partnering is a capability not just a role: Organizations who are able to differentiate between the role of the HRBP, business partnering as a function, and business partnering as an organizational capability create internal clarity for HR and can clearly communicate HR’s value and contribution to the business.
3. There’s a step-by-step approach to structured HR reskilling: Successful organizations understand the importance of an HR team that masters the skills required for an effective execution of the strategy and engagement with the business. They intentionally reskill their HR team according to a competency model that reflects the requirements of this new way of working. 
4. HR proactively works with the business as a key stakeholder: Effective stakeholder management is another crucial element for the success of business partnering. Under the HRBP model, HR will need to set boundaries. In practice, this means that some activities that HR has inherited will have to move back to the business. It also means that various people management responsibilities will move back to managers. This can only happen successfully if everyone involved has been implicated in the process and the upcoming changes from the start.
5. Leadership fully backs one HR vision: A strong, aligned, and integrated HR leadership team is essential for a successful transition to the HRBP model. Such a team is characterized by:
   • Consistent messaging about driving one HR agenda
   • Being open about where responsibilities need to change and shift
   • Leaning on each other
   • Making collective decisions that benefit all of HR and the business
   • Leaving ‘ego’ at the door.

FAQ

The post HR Business Partner Model appeared first on AIHR.

This emphasizes the importance of an effective onboarding process for new hires, which often leads to improved employee engagement, motivation, productivity, and retention. This article looks at 19 employee onboarding process examples you can apply to your onboarding strategy.

Contents
What is the onboarding process?
Why is a good onboarding process important?
19 onboarding process examples for HR
Best practices to optimize the onboarding process

What is the onboarding process?

The onboarding process helps familiarize new hires with their roles, colleagues, and managers, as well as company culture and policies. The goal of this process is to help new hires become operational and ready to succeed in their roles as quickly as possible.

At the same time, it should lay a strong foundation for their professional relationships by leaving them with a positive, lasting first impression. By the end of the onboarding program, employees should be fully integrated into their teams and able to do their job effectively and independently.

Throughout the process, HR handles the necessary documentation and legal requirements and supports managers when needed.

Why is a good onboarding process important?

A good employee onboarding process is crucial as it sets the foundation for new employee engagement and enhances their ability to contribute effectively. Comprehensive onboarding helps them feel welcomed and valued, which can lead to higher job satisfaction and lower turnover.

Additionally, an effective onboarding process can help minimize mistakes and increase productivity from the start by giving new hires structured training and resources. It can also ensure a smooth transition into new roles and teams for new hires, as well as alignment with organizational goals.

19 onboarding process examples for HR

This section examines various employee onboarding process examples, each covering a different part of the overall onboarding process.

Example 1: Onboarding plan development

An onboarding plan helps create a structured onboarding process for employees and their managers. Ideally, you would provide the framework so the new hire’s manager can use it to plan relevant onboarding activities.

An onboarding plan typically includes the following stages:

• Preboarding 
• First day 
• First week
• First 90 days 
• First year.

Example 2: Contract walk-through between HR and new hires

The preboarding process should start as soon as a new hire signs their employment contract. The first thing to do is have someone from the People Team walk them through their contract to explain key details and answer any questions they may have.

Arrange a meeting with them to discuss the contract shortly after they’ve signed and submitted it. The meeting can take place virtually or in person, depending on where the new employee is based and their personal preference.

Example 3: Preboarding activities

Recent employee onboarding statistics and trends show that companies with a solid preboarding process can boost their employee retention rate to 82% and minimize the number of non-starters.   

Preboarding has two main goals. Firstly, to keep new hires engaged and excited to start their new role from the moment they sign their contracts. Secondly, it aims to provide them with the necessary information to prepare them for their first day (e.g., their manager’s contact details, admin forms they must complete, etc.). 

Follow these tips for a successful preboarding:

• Ensure the new hire receives a welcome email 
• Send them the necessary employment paperwork 
• Remind their manager to inform the team about them
• Be available and stay in touch
• Ensure their buddy contacts them if your company uses an onboarding buddy system.

Example 4: Welcome email and onboarding package

The welcome email and onboarding package are essential parts of the employee onboarding process. They can set a positive tone and provide the new hire with essential information before their first day.

Send a personalized welcome email and thoughtfully prepared onboarding packet that includes the organization’s mission, vision, and values, and an overview of the new hire’s orientation day or week. Be sure to also include relevant contact information and a copy of the employee handbook.

Example 5: Onboarding buddy system

A buddy system at work can be a brilliant way to make a strong first impression on new hires and help them feel welcome and supported. Using an onboarding buddy system has multiple benefits, such as:

• Faster integration of new hires into organizational culture
• More casual learning through socialization
• Increased employee retention
• Improved employee engagement.

When developing an onboarding buddy system, start by setting the criteria for selecting buddies and pairing them with new hires (e.g., similar roles or backgrounds). Ensure the buddies you select receive training and a checklist of tasks to prepare them for their roles.

Once they start working with the new hires, check in with both parties regularly to gather feedback and provide support where necessary.

Example 6: Orientation day

Orientation day centers around new employee orientation (NEO), which focuses on familiarizing new hires with their work environment, processes, and relationships during their first day or week. 

The main goal of effective NEO is to reduce new hires’ stress and provide clarity on what they can expect in the coming weeks and months. Some NEO best practices to consider include: 

• Ensuring the new hire’s work environment and equipment are fully ready before they arrive 
• Introducing them to their new colleagues and manager
• Using detailed checklists to ensure you complete all NEO tasks
• Discussing expectations with them clearly and answering their questions   
• Gathering feedback from them to continuously improve your NEO.

Example 7: The 30-60-90 day plan

A well-designed 30-60-90 day plan helps new employees and their managers navigate the onboarding period. It provides structure and clarity around company culture and job expectations to prepare them well for their first three months at the organization. Consider the following aspects of the plan:

• First 30 days: The first month is about helping the new hire settle into their role and get to know the company better.
• Next 30 days: By the end of the second month, the employee should be an actively contributing team member and have a more thorough understanding of the business’s fundamentals, including its pain points.  
• Last 30 days: The employee should be fully onboarded, adding value to the business, and integrated into the team and the culture.

AIHR has created a downloadable template of a 30-60-90 day plan you can use to help you build a similar plan for your organization and its new hires.

Example 8: The first week

A new hire’s first week is mostly a continuation of their first day as they’re still familiarizing themselves with their role, team, and work environment. During this time, they will have individual meetings with direct colleagues, a deeper learning of the systems and tools they need to use, and regular check-ins with their direct manager and hiring manager.

As part of the HR team, you should share their profile with the rest of the company via your organization’s internal communication platform. Additionally, make sure you familiarize them with the relevant employee systems and processes (i.e., those for payroll details and leave requests).

Example 9: A memorable company tour

A company tour lends itself well to creativity and interactive elements. Ideally, you want a charismatic team member or the new hire’s onboarding buddy to do this so they can share interesting anecdotes about the company. Enhance the experience by including a swag bag with company-branded useful items like a coffee mug, stationery, or a USB stick.

For new hires who work on-site or under a hybrid arrangement, showcase the office facilities (break rooms, recreational areas, etc.) and facilitate interactions with different departments.

For fully remote employees, you can employ interactive 360-degree video tours for an immersive experience, and introduce them to the remote collaboration and communication tools your company uses. Be sure to also arrange virtual meetings between them and their managers and team members.

HR tip

Onboarding activities for a new hire can include:

• A welcome lunch or coffee break with their team
• An interactive tour of the workplace 
• A welcome video message from the company founder(s)
• An introduction to their 30-60-90 day onboarding plan with their manager
• An engaging orientation program.

Example 10: Team introductions and social events

To make a new employee feel even more welcome and help them integrate into their team as soon as possible, set up one-on-ones with everyone on the team from their first week onwards. 

Bear in mind that the hiring manager should always be there on their first day to welcome them to the company, and encourage other team members to be at the office to do the same. For fully remote new hires, remind their teams to create an equally engaging welcome tradition.

Example 11: Remote onboarding

Remote onboarding presents various challenges for organizations and HR professionals. These include establishing strong connections and communications with team members and managers, as well as smooth integration with company culture. To optimize remote onboarding, be sure to: 

• Connect new hires with their onboarding buddies virtually to open a reliable communication channel so they know whom to contact and how.
• Provide crucial IT support. The relevant IT staff should be able to advise you on how best to facilitate this for remote hires and what technology they need for remote onboarding.

Example 12: Onboarding documents

Onboarding documents typically include company policies, an employee handbook, and legal paperwork (such as the new hire’s employment contract and role-specific information). 

A simple way to handle this paperwork is to create an employee onboarding documents checklist. You can divide this list into stages: preboarding, onboarding, and additional forms for new hires.

Check out our article about must-have onboarding documents for an example of a checklist and handy downloadable templates for many of the documents listed in the article.

Example 13: Departmental introductions

Medium- and large-sized organizations typically have many different departments. For new hires, figuring out which department does what and whom they should contact to answer specific queries can be overwhelming.

Organizational introductions are a great way to familiarize new employees with the company’s various departments. You can help arrange meetings between new hires and department representatives who provide them with relevant information.

Consider the following factors:

• Begin departmental introductions after each new hire’s first week of onboarding
• Create simple guidelines for the company’s departments on what to cover in an introduction session with new hires
• Don’t plan too many departmental introductions in one week; two might be a good number.

Example 14: Role-specific training

According to the 70-20-10 model for learning and development, 70% of learning is work-based and informal. For a new hire, this process of ‘learning by doing’ occurs during new tasks, actual projects, and interactions with more experienced colleagues.

Rather than having new employees watch hours of training videos or sit through long lectures, getting them involved in actual work tasks during their onboarding will help them understand their role better through active participation.

The following tips will help you support this training:

• Pair new hires with a more experienced colleague (this can also be their onboarding buddies)
• Make sure the role-specific training is as relevant and practical as possible
• Consider digital tools to switch things up and make learning more dynamic.

Example 15: A ‘meet the executives’ session

A ‘meet the executives’ session can significantly influence how employees evaluate their overall onboarding experience. Organize this session in a relaxed, informal setting where new hires can have an open dialogue with the organization’s executives. 

Some tips to keep in mind: 

• Encourage new hires to submit questions or bring up topics they are curious about beforehand
• Encourage executives to share lessons learned during their careers and personal experiences
• Use a simple activity like a coffee or tea break or a shared lunch to further ease the atmosphere.

Example 16: Regular manager-employee sit-downs

Active manager involvement is essential for onboarding success. One way to achieve this is through regular manager-employee sit-downs. A new hire and their manager should have weekly or bi-weekly catch-ups throughout their onboarding process. Remember to also ensure new hires know whom in HR to contact if they have issues with their manager.

Example 17: Onboarding checklists

In addition to onboarding software to automate and structure your onboarding process, onboarding checklists can help you ensure every new hire gets a fully optimized onboarding.

You can use different types of checklists for different aspects of onboarding, including a checklist for hiring managers, HR, IT, and the new hire.

AIHR has created onboarding checklist templates that you can download for free.

Example 18: Regularly gather feedback

Regularly ask new hires for feedback about their onboarding experience so you know what worked well for them and what needs improvement.

In general, it’s good practice to check in with new hires at specific points: after their preboarding, first week, first month, and first three months. Additionally, ensure they know where to send spontaneous onboarding feedback or suggestions from the moment their preboarding starts.

Example 19: Train managers to onboard well

Onboarding is a skill, and it’s not something that (newly appointed) managers instinctively know how to do well. While HR can provide the onboarding framework and take care of the administrative, legal, and compliance aspects of employee onboarding, other things mostly depend on the hiring manager. 

Think of the new hire’s integration into the team, drafting the 30-60-90-day plan, collecting feedback, identifying potential issues, etc. Therefore, teaching managers ‘onboarding as a skill’ is crucial to onboarding success. 

Factors to take into account: 

• Make it clear where managers can find the general onboarding resources
• Encourage them to involve their teams in creating a new hire onboarding
• Ensure hiring managers can always come to the People Team for guidance regarding new hire onboarding.

“The onboarding process should be built around the desired experience we want to create for employees. It is often overly focused on just driving efficiency, losing sight of its overall aim and the impact it has on employees. Efficiency in the process does not lead to productivity — fostering a connection and engagement ensures they are equipped and enabled to contribute.”

Marna van der Merwe, Subject Matter Expert, AIHR

Best practices to optimize the onboarding process

Based on the employee onboarding examples mentioned above, there several best practices you can observe to optimize the employee onboarding process: 

• Use technology: Onboarding software can automate specific processes and help organizations optimize the onboarding experience. This saves the HR and People teams time and effort, which they can spend on important, people-centric tasks like one-on-ones with new hires.
• Train managers: Equip managers with the right knowledge and tools to help them give new hires the welcome they deserve. Marna says: “Just as we ask new hires for feedback on the onboarding process, it’s useful to also get feedback from managers so we can understand how to equip them better as key players in the process.”
• Consider onboarding a shared responsibility: Onboarding is not solely HR’s responsibility but a collaboration between the hiring manager, HR, and the new hire’s manager and team.

Marna says, “A good onboarding process is unlikely to be ‘one size fits all’, unless the workforce is not very diverse. The onboarding experience should be consistent but the process to deliver that experience might differ depending on the workforce’s needs. For example, onboarding for frontline workers would be very different to that for head office employees.”

To sum up

An effective onboarding process is essential for setting new hires up for success and fostering long-term employee engagement, productivity, and retention. By providing structured onboarding plans and offering tailored experiences catered to individual employees, you can facilitate a seamless transition for them.

Additionally, successful employee onboarding is the result of a strong collaboration between HR, the hiring manager, their team, and the new hire’s onboarding buddy. Ultimately, investing in a well-structured onboarding strategy leads to better integration, reduced turnover, and a more engaged, high-performing workforce.

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