It’s getting to that time of the year again where HR teams across the UK are starting to think about what their plans will be for next year. A Human Resources strategy for 2023 that will put the people in your business first!

In this short planning guide, we’ll cover what we’ve learnt from last year, what the top companies are doing differently, and how HR teams can give themselves room for success this year.

The pandemic has certainly changed the way that we operate as businesses and how workers are interacting with their workplaces. With more and more people choosing to work from home more regularly and many of the workforce looking for a change of role, employer, and even career.

2023 is the year that HR teams need to take work/life balance more serious than ever – but what should your HR team be planning for?

Offering a work-life balance

It’s been reported that an astonishing 1 in 4 of us Brits are looking for a new job, with work-life balance being a top priority when taking on a new role.

It’s for this reason that companies have to start being serious about allowing their staff to ‘turn off’ at the end of the day. We might not have to go to the extent that Portugal has, as they’ve started fining bosses who text their employees after work hours.

However, we may decide to look at the relationships that the team leaders within our organisations have with their team outside of working hours and make sure that they’re not forcing their staff into working additional hours, at the expense of their wellbeing.

Company wellbeing

This is an initiative that comes up year after year, but how many companies are actually making a meaningful change to the well-being of their entire company?

Not planning ahead means that HR teams are forced to be reactive instead of proactive when it comes to company wellbeing.

To change this, show your colleagues you care by setting up monthly wellbeing meetings for everyone at the organisation to attend. Bringing in a partner like Red Umbrella to help run these sessions can also take the pressure off the HR team and allow them to get involved.

Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA)

HR has been taking on too much of the burden for the mental wellbeing of colleagues over the past few years. It’s time to use your MHFA staff effectively.

Here are some tips on how this can be achieved in 2023:

• Plan in biweekly meetings to hold them accountable for their role.
• Ensure they’re working together.
• Give them access to support platforms to track this highly important work.
• Show them you care – and in return, they’ll care for their colleagues.
• If you’re yet to train internal Mental Health First Aiders – learn more about it here.

3 things for your HR plan in 2023

Just to recap, the three most important things that HR teams need to factor into their 2023 strategy when it comes to the mental wellbeing of their colleagues are:

1. Promote a positive work-life balance and make sure that the team leaders are too.
2. Put company wellbeing at the heart of your monthly activity by allowing opportunities for your colleagues to reach out and get the support they need.
3. Take some of the pressure of the HR team by training Mental Health First Aiders.

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