As the new year approaches, employers are faced with the task of staying up to date with rapidly changing trends to prevent being left behind within their industry and as a company in general. These trends, if executed with care, are sure to promote a sense of well-being for your employees which, in turn, is a direct benefit for your company!
In this blog, we've listed 5 workplace trends that you'll want to follow in 2024. After all, happy employees are a huge part of what keeps all companies afloat!
Uplifting Workplace Culture
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, employees were pushed to their limits! Cases of employee shortages and the overall stress of not knowing what tomorrow would bring left businesses in the predicament of having to lean heavily on those employees who were able to remain steadfast. This resulted in bitterness and burnout, and loss of positive work culture in the process.
While we are thankful to have been resilient through this time, many businesses and their employees are still struggling to reinstate a sense of work culture, which is why it is at the top of the list for 2024 workplace trends.
Start by completing a workplace culture analysis (either yourself or with the help of an HR professional) to determine what areas need improvement. Be sure to involve all employees and take their feedback seriously! Then, work toward reinstating (or even improving) the culture that thrived pre-COVID.
DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)
An inclusive workplace allows every employee, regardless of their race, religious background, age, nationality, disability, etc. to feel respected and of value to the company they work for.
In the past, inclusion has been viewed merely as a regulation enforced by the EEOC; however, many companies are now realizing the benefits of creating a workplace that can flourish because of the differences among employees.
In 2024, more and more businesses will begin to collect data from the frontlines on DEI analytics to utilize inclusion as part of their plan for success.
Pay Transparency
Though debates on the pay transparency regulations (enforced only in some states) continues, we can't deny that such transparency can be beneficial to the company and its employees.
In the past, employers shied away from discussions of pay and left them strictly for discussions during the hiring process or during performance reviews. This outdated form of operating is a sure and fast way to lose the trust of your employees.
We are aware that the cost of living continues to increase; however, contrary to popular belief, discussions of pay serve much more than an easy avenue for employees to request more money. Pay transparency as a whole includes upfront knowledge of the compensation an employee can expect based on things like experience, performance, and the current market. It allows employees to know if they are paid fairly, and ensures employers are remaining competitive in their pay practices.
Employers should be prepared to have these types of conversations with their employees at any time, not just once a year, and in return, the employer can look forward to increased retention rates and more dedicated employees.
Investing in Employees
Recent studies show that a lack of skills and knowledge could play a part in the current employee shortage. As industries grow and evolve for the future, companies are tackling this issue head-on by investing in training programs that are meant to improve the skills of their employees.
Instead of hiring multiple people who may or may not get the job done (and losing money by doing so), employers are bringing in HR professionals to build custom training programs that focus on current employees who have already invested time in the company. It's an easy win-win situation for both you as the employer and for your employees who can be of more value by adding more skills to their resume.
Re-Introducing HR into the Company
Now that we are somewhat back to normal after COVID-19 (with many companies still operating under a fully remote or hybrid structure), companies are predicting that 2024 will be the time to re-introduce HR into the company. For a time, employers had no choice but to cut out "extra" costs and attempt to work out everything themselves, but as we regain normalcy, employers are finding themselves in a difficult situation without HR expertise on staff.
Wrap up
To wrap things up, all of these workplace trends heading into 2024, whether you are a corporation or a small business, are focused on improving the experience of your employees (and any wise leader knows the job couldn't be done without them)!
For help keeping up with these workplace trends, give us a call!
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