Government Regulations – With the introduction of new workplace compliance standards your human resources department is constantly under pressure to stay within the law. These types of regulations influence every process of the HR department, including hiring, training, compensation, termination, and much more. Without adhering to such regulations a company can be fined extensively which if it was bad enough could cause the company to shut down.
Economic Conditions – One of the biggest external influences is the shape of the current economy. Not only does it affect the talent pool, but it might affect your ability to hire anyone at all. One of the biggest ways to prepare against economic conditions is to not only know what’s happening in the world around you, but also create a plan for when there is an economic downturn. All companies can make due in a bad economy if they have a rainy day fund or plan to combat the harsh environment.
Technological Advancements – This is considered an external influence because when new technologies are introduced the HR department can start looking at how to downsize and look for ways to save money. A job that used to take 2-4 people could be cut to one done by a single person. Technology is revolutionizing the way we do business and not just from a consumer standpoint, but from an internal cost-savings way.
Workforce Demographics – As an older generation retires and a new generation enters the workforce the human resources department must look for ways to attract this new set of candidates. They must hire in a different way and offer different types of compensation packages that work for this younger generation. At the same time, they must offer a work environment contusive to how this generation