Today’s workplace is an altogether more diverse environment than ever before and this is set to evolve further over the next few years. As a result, HR professionals will be spending more time trying to create an inclusive working environment. If your workforce is made up of people of all ages it is essential to make sure that pension schemes, training programmes, benefits and opportunity for development are open to all.

The focus on health and wellness in the workplace has become apparent over the last year and 2017 will be no different. There’s no denying that healthy employees are happy employees and happy employees are not only more productive but more motivated to deliver against organisational goals. You are probably already aware of the effect that employee health has on the company’s bottom line and paying attention to your employees’ health is an important task to take on board. Regularly review employee working conditions and take steps to improve this by making lunch breaks compulsory and getting feedback from the employees themselves on how the workplace environment impacts on their productivity levels.

Thanks to ever-evolving technology, your company now has the ability to hire talented people from across the globe. Until recently, employment had been limited by location but this is changing and companies are now able to cast their net wider with social media making global recruitment easier than ever before. Employee rights and laws will differ from country to country and for this reason it is crucial that you expand your knowledge to cover this. After Brexit there will be big changes in the pipeline for companies that employ individuals from the EU and it is essential that you are ready to adapt to whatever they may be.

For many companies, this trend is already apparent in the benefits and rewards arena and more and more businesses are improving productivity with the use of smartphones, watches and apps. It is important to keep an ever watchful eye on the latest technology and how it can be used to increase motivation and recognition in the workplace. From watches that track stress levels to benefits platforms that deliver a more personalised communication approach, even those organisations relatively slow to adopt new tech in the workplace will need to review their approach in the coming years.

Staying abreast of the latest HR trends is especially important in today’s fast moving working environment. The workplace is rapidly evolving thanks to the introduction of new technology and the dominance of millennial employees, so it is more important than ever to monitor the latest trends and adapt accordingly, but only when appropriate to your workplace.