It might still feel like there’s a lot of 2019 left, but the reality is that it’s going to move fast—and before you know it, it’ll be time to put your 2020 strategies into motion. There’s no question that 2020 will be a big year in HR. Tech and strategies are evolving quicker than ever. So what can you do to get ready? Let’s review some key areas to think about for your future planning.

Rethink The Role of HR

The ins and outs of HR are not likely to change anytime soon: recruiting and hiring, workforce planning, people management. Those kinds of core activities will always be the heart of any organization’s HR. But what is the HR role in tomorrow’s organization? Is it a reactive team, responding to needs as they come up? Or is it a strategic role in helping the overall organizations grow and meet larger strategic goals? Think of HR as a transformative agent—an organizational resource that has the ability to shape and reshape the workforce to better align with strategy.

What do you want to achieve within your organization? Better employee experience? Stronger recruitment pipelines? Your own goals can be part of a strategic transformation of your organization’s larger goals and strategy.

Focus On The Individual

Every existing employee and every potential employee is an individual, not a faceless mass. Managing the HR needs of an organization can make people feel like a monolithic group—an issue helped along by the fact that we’re all essentially walking data points. By choosing to take a customer service approach to managing and nurturing talent, you’re adding a level of intelligence and care to your employer brand.

There will always be a balancing act between managing compliance and minimizing risk while investing in the individualized needs of your workforce. But when you see employee care and retention as a strategic goal, you’re building a stronger base for tomorrow.

Embrace The Technology

Everything is digital now. Chances are, you’ve already taken steps to incorporate automation and data into your workflow somewhere. But it’s important to take advantage of the real-time data and information you get so that you’re making agile decisions in the best interests of your organization. Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the biggest game-changers to come along for HR in a long time, and 2020 will be the time to transform your processes using data and analytics tools if you haven’t done it already.

Re-evaluate Your Benefits

In a job seeker-friendly market, so much of your recruitment and hiring is going to come down to your employer brand and the benefits you offer. Part of your strategic planning for the next year should include reviewing your current benefits package and comparing it to similar organizations’, as well as keeping an ear to the ground about what job seekers are expecting.

For example, do your leave policies include caregiver time, flex time, fertility benefits, and gender transition resources? Do you offer employees financial “health” benefits and resources? Using demographic data, you can help determine which benefits make the most sense for the workforce you’re trying to build and maintain.

Keep Up With The Ever-Changing Rules

Regulations change rapidly with the times, so it’s important that your organization is ready to anticipate and react to coming changes when it comes to citizenship (like e-verify systems), potential tax changes, legalization of substances that were previously banned (like marijuana), compensation rules, and discrimination. Compliance should be a major priority in your planning for 2020, so putting a laser-focus on it now should help you create a more proactive strategy moving forward.

For 2020, it’s going to be all about transforming the solid base you have now into the lean, mean HR machine of the future. You don’t need to change everything, but focusing on technology and paying attention to the nuances brought on by the modern digital age will help you prepare for next year and beyond.