3 New Year’s resolutions for HR graduates

With 2022 wrapping up, the new year brings with it new graduates entering the HR world. While it may be a daunting experience, there are a few tips to keep in mind to add to your resolutions to engage with your new position.

KPIs

Key performance indicators are great for evaluating employee performance. It’s also a great way for an individual to track their own growth and gives them goals to try to reach.

Factorial gave its pick for HR KPIs that will help both new and old HR professionals navigate 2023. Some that Factorial listed are:

• Turnover and retention rates
• Absenteeism
• Average time for recruitment
• Employee productivity
• Accidents in the workplace
• Employee satisfaction

Data is a great way to measure performance, and by gathering these datasets at an organisation, you are giving yourself access to tangible insights that you can then improve on. Whether you’re comparing your data with internal benchmarks or those made public by other organisations, these insights will give you the information you need to identify concerns.

As a graduate, this may seem like a lot to take on. Being aware of these areas and focusing on a few can help you to learn and excel in your new position. Keep in mind that managers are there to help you through your learning journey, so don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Learning and development

As a new recruit, learning opportunities should be taken as often as they arise, as adding more tools to your arsenal will only benefit your career.

HR News discussed the importance of studying HR strategies, outlining how they can boost performance in your role. The five areas they listed were:

• Turnover rates
• Conflict resolution
• Worker performance
• Career development
• Worker satisfaction

Remember that just because university has finished, doesn’t mean your learning has! Learning is an essential part of work that will continue for the rest of your working life.

Building connections

Connecting with other HR professionals can be a great way to improve at an early stage in your career. Speaking with people who know the ins and outs of the industry creates opportunities for development.

Building relationships with others in the business outside of HR is also advantageous. Sentric HR noted that many employees fear the HR department. Breaking this trend can be a great way to engage staff and for you to get to know people.

As a graduate, most people will be willing to help you. Use this to your advantage as there is never a better time to ask questions than when you start working. Make connections with other graduates where possible to have people to share the experience with. Also, remember to be kind to yourself and don’t expect to know everything straight away.