Taking time to reflect...

2023…..yet another crazy year for many HR professionals!!!

It seems we are getting back to normal as far as pandemics and viruses are concerned but, in other ways, we’re still finding out what “normal” is. Are you hybrid, remote or fully back to the workplace? Are you keeping up with changes to employment law? How’s employee engagement in your organisation? Do you have capacity to make improvements that add value?

I believe reflection is vital for effective learning from our experiences. After all, as the saying goes, “if you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got”. In other words, if we don’t reflect to learn and make changes, how will we improve and grow?

But, as we all know, reflection takes time…Depending on your industry sector, December can be a time when your workload slows down and you have the chance to take time to reflect on the year nearly ending.

Firstly, how does your current organisation measure up? What challenges, threats or opportunities are around or in the pipeline? What about your team and your organisation? What have you achieved this year? What have you developed and improved? What strengths are you taking in to the New Year?

In reality, you probably have a mix of threat and opportunity on your radar but the approach and mindset you take will make a difference to the outcome. Those who approach their strategy and plans to make the most of the opportunity to change, whilst mitigating any business threat, are likely to have a more successful outcome than those with the opposite approach (emphasising the management of threats whilst hoping for an opportunity).

Also, remember that to make your strategy and plan a success, you may well need to factor in changes in culture and mindset, not just improving your systems and processes. Partly to bring everyone on that journey to making the most of opportunity with you but also to think about the culture you want in place to support the improvements.

Next, reflect on what has worked well during the year for your team and your organisation, what could have been better, how could you make it better if you had to go back and try again? What have you found that you had to do that you want to keep? What have you or your team missed during this time? Be honest in your reflections, ask for input from other stakeholders, you could be pleasantly surprised!

So what’s stopping you…..grab that blank sheet of paper, take some time out and get reflecting!