As we step into 2024, it is evident that the workplace landscape is undergoing significant transformations. Companies are reevaluating their working models, and employees are embracing diverse approaches to their professional lives. What are some noteworthy workplace trends that we ’re going to see in the new year?
2023 was the year when companies fully left the pandemic behind and deliberated what working model made sense for them for the future. While many went hybrid, others mandated a total return to office, and some ditched the office for good. Amongst all of this, workers approached their work with more variety than ever before. Here are top eight workplace trends the global HR platform Deel is seeing as we head into 2024—wherever your workplace may be:
Airplane Mode: Like the idea of unplugging at work and letting all those email updates and messages melt away for a bit? Well, it may become standard practice for employers soon in order to foster „deep focus“.
„Skills-First“ Approach: The days of the college degree being the most important box to check on your resume may be coming to an end. Companies worldwide are getting on board with the idea that if you have got the right skills, then you are suitable for the job, even if you do not have a college degree.
The Five-day Office Week is Dead: Despite the push to bring workers back to the office, some amount of work from home is here to stay. Workforces and management are questioning other parts of the employment status quo, especially in the face of daily hassles and commute costs.
Rage Applying: This is a response to situations like being overlooked for a promotion, dealing with an overbearing boss, or experiencing general mistreatment at work. In this reactionary tactic, individuals frustrated with their current employment unleash a flurry of job applications. This serves as both an emotional release and a quick exploration of potentially better opportunities. While the quest for greener grass is understandable, we strongly advise approaching this with caution.
Unfiltered Zooming: Ditch the digital backgrounds! In the past few years, there have been significant calls to stop the excessive use of social media filters and Photoshop. 2024 might see us apply this to our digital backgrounds to encourage an authentic remote work culture. Apart from the fact virtual environments never work quite perfectly, your actual backdrop is part of you, so try not to cover it up.
Social Side Gigging: Certain white-collar professionals are compensating for the social void resulting from remote and office-free work. During weekends, they are pursuing secondary jobs that offer ample social interaction or serve as creative outlets. Many in this group find roles in food service and bartending particularly appealing for these purposes.
Funemployment: Some individuals are transforming job-market challenges into opportunities by reframing and redefining their employment gap. Instead of succumbing to the stress and urgency of immediately reentering the workforce, these individuals are relishing their time off, dedicating it to discovering not merely the next job but the right job for them.
Queenagers: Meet a new worker category—women who began their careers as early as the 1980s and were forced, through sheer will and determination, to break the glass ceiling by becoming ambitious corporate dynamos. They are typically between 45 and 65 years old, have older kids, and have relatively high incomes. Let us hope this trend just becomes the norm.
The workplace landscape truly is ever-changing and companies as well as the workers must try and keep up with these dynamic shifts. Companies are navigating through uncharted territories, reconsidering traditional norms, and experimenting with strategies to enhance productivity and employee satisfaction. Simultaneously, workers are challenged to embrace flexibility, upskill to meet the demands of a skills-focused job market, and find innovative ways to balance work and life.