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8 Things HR Professionals Should Know to Build Better Teams

As the workforce faces unprecedented challenges, HR professionals play a crucial role in shaping resilient and innovative teams. Hiring practices have evolved, and the need for sustainable work environments has become paramount. In this listicle, we explore eight key considerations for HR professionals when hiring during these challenging times. By prioritizing resilience and innovation, HR professionals can build winning teams and navigate industry trends, while adapting to changing work conditions influenced by climate change and AI technology.

Emphasize Adaptability: In a rapidly changing landscape, hiring adaptable individuals is crucial. Look for candidates who demonstrate the ability to navigate uncertainty, embrace change, and learn quickly. Assess their track record of successfully adapting to new technologies, shifting work conditions, and evolving market demands. Resilient and innovative individuals can help organizations thrive amidst challenges.

Foster a Growth Mindset: When hiring, seek candidates with a growth mindset—a belief that abilities can be developed through effort and learning. Such individuals are more likely to approach challenges with resilience and seek innovative solutions. Encourage continuous learning and provide opportunities for professional development to support a growth mindset within the organization.

Prioritize Team Collaboration: Building winning teams requires individuals who excel in collaboration and teamwork. Look for candidates who possess strong interpersonal skills, demonstrate empathy, and can effectively communicate and collaborate with diverse team members. Resilient and innovative teams thrive on collaboration, pooling their strengths and ideas to tackle challenges collectively. Look into tools like Slack and Uptick to help you get there.

Assess Emotional Intelligence: Emotional intelligence is critical in fostering resilience and innovation within teams. Evaluate candidates’ emotional intelligence by assessing their ability to understand and manage their emotions, as well as their capacity for empathy and effective communication. Emotional intelligence enhances team dynamics, promotes trust, and supports adaptive problem-solving.

Support Mental Well-being: Challenging times can take a toll on employees’ mental well-being. When hiring, consider candidates who prioritize mental health and well-being. Look for individuals who possess self-awareness, practice self-care, and value work-life balance. Creating a supportive work environment that prioritizes mental well-being fosters resilience, innovation, and long-term employee engagement.

Embrace Diversity and Inclusion: Diversity and inclusion fuel innovation and enhance resilience within organizations. When hiring, prioritize candidates from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Embrace inclusivity in all aspects of the hiring process to attract a wide range of talents and ideas. Diverse teams are more resilient, adaptable, and better equipped to solve complex problems.

Stay Ahead of HR Industry Trends: Keeping up with HR industry trends is essential in navigating the changing landscape. Stay informed about emerging technologies, remote work trends, and evolving employee expectations. Embrace innovative HR practices such as data-driven decision-making, AI-assisted recruitment, and virtual onboarding processes. By staying ahead of trends, HR professionals can attract top talent and create a competitive edge for their organizations. Follow organizations like SHRM and ATD for the latest trends.

Leverage AI Technology: AI technology continues to transform the workforce. Embrace AI-assisted recruitment tools and analytics to streamline and optimize the hiring process. Utilize AI-powered platforms to identify candidates with resilience and innovative thinking, based on data-driven insights. Embracing AI technology enhances efficiency, improves candidate assessments, and enables HR professionals to make informed hiring decisions.

As HR professionals navigate the challenges of hiring during these unprecedented times, it is crucial to prioritize resilience and innovation. By emphasizing adaptability, fostering a growth mindset, nurturing team collaboration, assessing emotional intelligence, supporting mental well-being, embracing diversity and inclusion, staying informed about industry trends, addressing climate change implications, and leveraging AI technology, HR professionals can build winning teams and create sustainable work environments. Embrace these eight considerations to navigate the ever-changing workforce landscape and cultivate resilience and innovation within your organization.


Interested in a workshop that can provide actionable insights into how to make your team more innovative, collaborative, and resilient? Check out the Resilience Innovator® – Signature Workshop today.

About Epicenter INNOVATION

Epicenter Innovation® is an award-winning professional services firm driven by human-centered, resilience-focused innovation. Our team is here to help you implement a proven framework for creating impact & unlocking the potential of your people.

We’re the connective tissue between organizations that produce technology and those in the field using it. By working on both sides of the public/private-sector divide, we serve as translators & change-makers at all phases of the disaster management lifecycle – driving human-centered, resilience-focused innovation before, during, and after major incidents.

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