Top 6 HR Priorities for Leaders in 2024

Megha Sharma
4 min readMar 13, 2024

As we moved from 2023 and entered 2024, we realized that last year was a mixed bag of some positive things that happened, and some lessons were learned. The business leaders were able to create a list of dos and don’ts, including the strategies that worked, the things that did not shape the workplace culture as they wanted it to be, etc. Now, it is the time to visualize the future and list the top HR priorities for leaders in 2024.

HR leaders from various industries, domains, and locations determine their objectives at the start of the year. These priorities are aligned with the organization’s overall objectives. The list is designed to resolve key issues and accelerate the organization’s long-term growth.

6 Top HR Priorities for Leaders in 2024

So, what should the HR leaders focus on in 2024? Here is the priority list for the upcoming year:

Shaping Talent Management

One of the biggest priorities for HR leaders in 2024 is performing the right talent management. When done correctly, talent management can lead to the fulfilment of the evolving skill needs of the organization. Most business leaders find themselves in a challenging situation of inability to get insights needed to train employees aligned with their business goals. Sometimes, businesses are unable to decide whether they need to hire the talent today that may be needed tomorrow. At the same time, sometimes, they face difficulties due to the under-skilled workforce.

In the new year, HR is looking forward to performing workforce analytics. They will use new tools, platforms, and a data-driven strategy to understand and track their workforce’s skills.

Focus on HR Technology

As you would have observed, AI and generative AI have been creating a lot of hype lately. Several industries and verticals use these applications to actualize expectations, meet objectives, develop new and improved processes, and provide better employee engagement. HR leaders must employ cutting-edge technologies to enhance employee performance and productivity. Intelligent automation allows the HR leader to automate tasks and increase their working speed.

Change Management

Change management is a term recently gaining a lot of momentum in the HR world. One of the most common challenges that needs to be addressed this year is that the employees are exhausted from the change. This necessitates organizations to work on bringing positive change in the work environment. HR leaders must understand what is working well, what is positive, and what excites the employees. The organization should be able to evoke visions and fantasies! So, instead of focusing on “what’s wrong”, the companies should find “what should happen”.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The biggest HR priority for leaders in 2024 is diversity. Leaders must also be held accountable for advancing their diversity, inclusion, and equity goals. They should be able to deliver advanced talent by eliminating bias and making talent decisions that promote inclusion. HR should design standardized procedures to enable and ensure leaders’ progress toward DEI objectives. While they must be incentivized to adhere to DEI goals, they must also establish transparency around DEI measures.

Employee Wellness

‍The importance of employee health has become paramount. The HR leaders must prioritize employee wellbeing in 2024. Productivity in work can only be obtained when the employees can maintain great health. We are aware of how stress and anxiety affect work-life balance and lower employee morale. So, 2024 must concentrate on holistic employee welfare. Also, ensure that your employees know the effects of stress and burnout.

Internal Mobility

Several HR leaders have shared that their company’s career paths are unclear for employees. There have been numerous talent gaps and skill shortages in the dynamic world of huge evolution. In this scenario, HR leaders must move ahead of traditional job-based thinking and adopt new ways to ensure talent and employee retention. HR leaders should identify employee goals, skills, and interests and help them choose suitable career paths. This will greatly enhance employee retention and lead to value creation. For instance, the employees should be motivated to apply for internal job postings and move internally to the best-fit roles.

Wrapping up

Due to new AI-powered technologies, HR processes can become more efficient and scalable. HR leaders must use new tools to ensure positive change management, talent management, employee wellness, and more. The right approach for the HR leader is to employ creative ways to solve specific challenges and accomplish talent goals.

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Megha Sharma

HR Specialist, with a sharp eye to attract and top talent, develop existing talent along with managing employee relations.