Top Willory Posts in 2018

Every year we like to look back at the last 12 months and try to predict what the next year will look like. I thought we’d take a different approach this year and analyze what our top blogs can help us understand about what 2019 will hold.

Our top blogs this year are:

1. Ten Things Employees Hate About You

We originally conceptualized this blog as what employees are too scared to tell their HR managers. The end result was a list of ten things managers get wrong about employee engagement to the tune of one of the greatest 90’s romcoms. Admittedly, we were a bit shocked this was our top blog in 2018. It has about 19% more page views than the next blog and doubled the number of pageviews of the third most popular blog.

It’s popularity ultimately tells us that importance of employee engagement will never die. It may have been a buzzword in more recent years of strategic HR, but it continues to (and we predict will always) and incredibly significant part of HR’s role in the organization. Remember, employee engagement is much more than throwing amazing parties, but making sure that the people who help your company function feel welcome and an integral part of the culture.

2. I Promise… I’m Not Going Anywhere 

Read it for yourself and learn the worst-guarded secret in Willory history. We predict in 2019, Willory will have some new faces in the Cap City. On the heels of two fairly large announcements from LeBron James, Willory President and Founder penned this promise to Northeast Ohio. Willory might be expanding beyond the confines of Northeast Ohio, but we promise Akron will always remain our home.

3. Tri-C’s Corporate College and Willory Partner on Payroll Certification Program

Payroll is becoming more strategic. Gone are the days of dual roles in HR and payroll. As a result quality payroll professionals are currently a shortage in our region. We predict that this shortage will continue for another 6-12 months as new regulations are implemented and quality payroll professionals continue to pursue certifications.

4. Why HR Should Conduct a Functional Audit

Organizations are no longer content with the status quo. In 2019, disruption in favor of excellence will continue and will even become a larger part of organizations. One way HR professionals can ensure their organization is not only compliant, but supporting the strategic initiatives of their company (and making the C-suite happy), is to conduct a functional HR audit. We predict that HR leadership will be more proactive in 2019, not just waiting for the DOL to conduct their own (and usually punitive audit). Also, don’t forget there are benefits to self-reporting when you’re out of compliance.

5. Are You a Passionate HR Professional? (tie)

Millennial’s and their younger counterparts, Gen Z, sometimes get a bad rep for wanting more than steady work. Gone are the days of employees staying their entire career at one company, or even one career path. The result isn’t bad, but instead you now have candidates and employees who are passionate about their work they’re doing…and if they’re not, they’re not applying for your job openings. Our prediction is that this will continue into 2019 and the result is going to be employees who care so much about the company they work for that employee engagement will become easier.

5. 

   5 Signs It’s Time to Break Up with Your HR Technology (tie)

We were shocked there was a tie as well, but here we are with actually six posts to share. HR technology is rapidly changing and what worked in 2000 definitely doesn’t work almost nineteen years later. Companies are recognizing the importance of freeing up their HR team from boxes of paperwork, to a more advanced technology that supports self-service, is mobile-friendly, and overall meets the needs of the organization. We predict there will be some major changes in the HR technology landscape in 2019, with major players losing some market share, small systems being bought up by larger systems, and radical changes to systems you’ve always known. It might take a while, but we guarantee there will be demonstrable changes by the end of 2020.

Willory’s offices are officially closed December 31-January 1…we’ll see you in the new year!