The Future of HR: A Guide to the “Holistic HR” Approach

Nowadays, employees usually work long hours. On top of that, they have to deal with an increasingly tremendous amount of social issues, family matters, health problems, etc. in their daily lives. Consequently, the old approach of HR became obsolete and a new approach called “holistic HR” has come into life. This new approach aims to engage with any employee as a person. It seeks to know where employees come from, what they are like, what they want to achieve in life and how this job will help them to achieve that. In short, the holistic approach allows people to manage their professional lives without conflicting with other aspects of their lives.

So, what is holistic HR? 

It is when departments of Human Resources understand that the staff is the organization’s engine, keeping the company moving forward. They are not only the pillar of success but also genuine individuals who have their lives, aspirations, strengths, improvement areas and more. So, the mechanism behind holistic HR is to nurture and establish an intellectually exciting atmosphere in which every employee is motivated to go beyond himself/herself as well as the firm. This focuses on the personality and ideals of the employee in a way that benefits the firm and its employees.  

The holistic HR function should be complemented by the existing human resources policies. The distinction between them is the way HR think and do. The driving factor behind the Holistic HR strategy is a regular HR function combined with employee benefits and growth. 

Human resources professionals see this as one of the finest morale boosters for their employees regardless of their level of organizational expertise. In work settings, it’s very easy to get demotivated and dissatisfied, which may be made much more difficult by ongoing conflicts between personal and professional lives. To prevent this mistake, a holistic HR seeks to interact with employees beyond their formal responsibilities in order to better understand what motivates them and how this job, as well as how business fits into that ideal.  

Corporations must think outside of the box and provide their employees’ opportunities to gain a broad perspective on life. Something not just limited to their professional domains, but also to their own drivers of motivation.

​​What are some tips and tools for holistic HR? 

A big part of the future of a company depends on its workforce’s aptitude. A stable, inclusive and exciting culture in the organization leads to the strong emotional, professional and personal welfare of an employee. As a result, it would not be unreasonable to conclude that a company’s performance is directly proportional to its employees’ morale. It emphasizes the need of taking a holistic approach and increases the roles of the department of human resources in this regard.  

• United we stand: Instilling a sense of inclusion at work is one way a holistic HR practitioner may execute this strategy. Diversity will be fostered and a sense of being accepted for who you are in an environment free of gender, ethnicity, race, or any bias. 
• Beginning Matters: Building a culture that fosters and emphasizes the experience of employees is also part of the holistic HR strategy. It is not simple to create and carry out a fantastic adventure! As a result, planning this phase as an HR function should begin considerably earlier than the orientation stage of employees, i.e. the hiring stage. Human resource managers play an essential role from the beginning to provide each individual with a certain sense of purpose in the organization. 
• Reward and recognition: The foundation of this is combining rewards with successful employees who show commitment will not only result in happier and healthier staff but also aid in the retention of those brilliant minds. 
• Development: Employee satisfaction is achieved by providing upskilling and reskilling chances in specific growth areas for both professional and personal domains. Workers should be recognized as more than just their job titles.

The HR department will need to function as a bridge for the organization’s evolution, acknowledging its past, understanding its current status, and aligning every individual need to propel it forward. 

Talentnet is one of Vietnam’s top human resource consulting firms and provides coaching and consulting services to forward-thinking companies that wish to adopt a more holistic approach to business strategies, human resources, and organizational development. Contact Talentnet to find out how.