#7 Trends to Adopt to Ensure a Happy Workplace for 2017Technology must be leveraged in 2017 to streamline all processes. HR functions such as rewards and recognition and engagement must be automated.

There are just a few days left to the New Year and one can only start pondering over the multiple changes that the workplace culture has gone through in the past year. Companies have never before witnessed such an engaging war of talent, altering economy and the rise of the Millennials. With workforce spanning across generations such as Baby Boomers, GenX and beyond, it has never been more diverse. The major themes that drastically affected businesses over 2016 have been focused on onboarding talent, rewards and recognition, mapping the employee life cycle, compensation, engagement and culture at the workplace.

The world has gone mobile, and 2016 was the year of appification, gamification, and automation. Culture has been one of the majorly developed areas with companies adopting the concept of workplace flexibility, personalized approach to rewards and recognition and a more systematic approach to employee wellbeing. These trends have impacted the way a workforce is driven, engaged and motivated.

After analyzing the current workplace scenario, here's an outline of the major workforce trends that will keep your employees and culture happy in 2017.

1. Problem Solving must be the key

Managers must make themselves redundant and focus more on problem-solving. Managers must let their team take responsibility and drive projects while concentrating on finding ways to make the process more productive and efficient. HR managers must not take on clerical roles and have the efficiency to move on from one problem to another.

2. Automation is the word

Technology must be leveraged in 2017 to streamline all processes. HR functions such as rewards and recognition and engagement must be automated. Employees must have a public access to Rewards and Recognition must be made public so they can see who are the achievers and who are the performers.

3. Mood Analysis

To stay ahead of the curve and see what makes employees happy or sad, managers must use optimized tools. These tools can intelligently note how the employees are feeling using emoticons. If the employee chooses an unhappy emoticon, the employer knows that this issue needs to be addressed.

4. Map out an Employee Life Cycle

An employee life cycle maps out the journey of the employee from induction/onboarding up until their exit. It is important that HR managers understand the employee and their connect with peers and employers. This is a good way to visualize employees and increase engagement, motivation and the chance to build a successful team.

5. Celebrate Personalisation

While monetary benefits have been the go to reward options for organizations, it's time they moved beyond money and run the mill rewards. Companies have now started giving experiences to their employees as rewards and as a means to engage their workforce. Experiences have been proven to more engaging gifts and have a more personal touch to it.

6. Ideate. Conceptualize. Implement.

Companies must now focus on creating an open source platform that encourages the staff to come up with newer ideas, strategies that can help solve a current company problem.

7. Peer to Peer appreciation takes the center stage

Peer to peer recognition is an important building block that helps improve and build a fantastic company culture. In most organizations, managers often oversee employees and bigger departments, when they take up a responsibility this big, they constantly focused on making sure that nothing goes wrong that they may fail to see what is going right. This is where peer to peer recognition helps bring a good performing employee to light.

Smaller steps towards a healthier, happier workplace can make a big difference in how 2017 works out for organizations.