Being HR in 2025: turn over, retention policy and self-enablement

The world of work is changing, and with it the human resources (HR) profession.

As business practices transform and new tools emerge, HR is faced with new challenges, changing expectations and a constant need to adapt.

But what will the role of HR really look like in 2025?

We spoke to Calixte, Managing Director at in Residence, to understand these trends and find out how industry professionals can adapt to meet tomorrow's challenges.

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What is in Residence? A new HR support model

In Residence is an HR consulting firm founded three years ago. Their aim is to support companies with their human resources issues by bringing together a team of specialized experts. This innovative model brings together three groups of experts: HR managers, recruiters and People Ops, who work with companies on specific assignments, often on a time-sharing basis.

This model of HR on an ad hoc basis offers several advantages:

• Cost reduction: companies finance only the time needed to meet a specific need, without hiring full-time for temporary projects.
• Up-to-date expertise: as HR consultants are constantly active in the field, they keep abreast of the latest trends and best practices in the sector.
• Dynamic profiles: working in different contexts and on different assignments, these experts develop greater flexibility and adaptability.

A model that enables us to respond effectively to business needs, while bringing agility and flexibility to functions that are often perceived as rigid.

The daily life of an HR leader in 2025

A sometimes lonely, heavy reality

For Calixte, one of the major challenges facing HR Directors is the loneliness of the job. Because of the confidentiality and sensitive nature of their role, it's often difficult for them to share their concerns, confide in others, or even get candid feedback from their staff.

The emotional burden is also considerable: HR, on the front line to listen to employees' problems and concerns, assumes the role of "emotional sponge" without always being able to externalize this pressure.

Key skills for tomorrow's HR managers

What skills will be essential for success as an HRD in the near future? Calixte identifies three main ones:

• A solid technical foundation: in 2025, an HRD will still need to master technical skills such as labor law, HR operations, and negotiation techniques essential to conflict management.
• Developed social intelligence: knowing how to read between the lines, detect weak signals in a conversation and perceive what is not being said are invaluable qualities for understanding and anticipating needs.
• Humility and listening: in an environment that values human values and transparency, an effective HRD needs to be open and able to question his or her convictions in order to make the best decisions.

These qualities, combined, will enable the HRDs of 2025 to meet the challenges of the sector while remaining close to their teams.

Towards a new way of working

The days when seniority within a company was a badge of pride are long gone. Indeed, just a few generations ago, stability in a single company was seen as an achievement. The answer to "What do you do?" often boiled down to a simple "Me? I'm at Total." Today, the younger generations are more assertive about their function than their company. We'll hear, "I'm a digital project manager" rather than "I work at X."

This development has a direct impact on HR:

• Increasing turnover: new generations are not afraid to change jobs to improve their position or working conditions. This raises the question of talent retention and loyalty, a major challenge for HR.
• Companies are adapting to new ways of working: telecommuting, the four-day week, and corporate well-being initiatives have become levers for attracting and retaining talent.

HR solutions and adaptations for 2025

Faced with these challenges, there are several ways in which companies can adapt and optimize their HR processes.

Talent retention policy

Talent retention strategies pose a real dilemma for HR: is it realistic to seek to retain increasingly mobile employees, or should a certain level of turnover be accepted? Calixte doesn't have a definitive answer, but he believes that the key lies in a fine-tuned understanding of employees' needs and aspirations, while recognizing the reality of the labor market.

Optimizing HR processes for greater efficiency

For HR, retention is not the only issue. The question is also how to get employees up and running quickly, hence the rise of the concept of self-enablement. This approach involves :

• Train new employees to be productive right from the start.
• Implement solutions that centralize information within the company, facilitating access to and transmission of knowledge.
• Free up HR time by automating certain repetitive tasks (managing schedules, creating standard documents, etc.), so that they can concentrate more on the human and relational aspects of the job.

HRDs and artificial intelligence: a winning duo?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is gradually penetrating the HR sector, and the possibilities offered by this technology are vast. For Calixte, AI will be a valuable tool for supporting HR in both strategic and operational tasks.

Here are a few concrete examples of applications:

• Process automation Bots can be used to fully automate simple administrative tasks, such as scheduling meetings or sorting job applications.
• HR data analysis: AI makes it possible to rapidly analyze data on staff turnover, employee satisfaction, or the efficiency of recruitment processes.
• Personality tests and job fit: by using personality tests, HR managers can better assess whether a candidate is well aligned with the company's culture and the target position.
• Proactive talent identification: AI can be used to unearth relevant profiles on the market and approach candidates who match the company's values and needs.

Beware of privacy challenges

AI in HR is not without its risks, however. The collection and analysis of sensitive data raises issues of confidentiality and employee privacy. Calixte stresses that transparency and respect for data-sharing limits are essential if the relationship of trust between the company and its employees is to remain intact.

In conclusion

The HR profession in 2025 promises to be both demanding and exciting, thanks in large part toevolving technologies and mindsets. Professionals in the sector will have to juggle increasingly diverse expectations, while keeping abreast of new optimization solutions and technological innovations such as AI.

In an age of self-enablement and automation, the core of the HR profession remains the same: supporting, listening to and federating talent. The ability to adapt to change while retaining a human dimension will be key to coping with the sector's transformations and meeting the expectations of new generations of workers.

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