The workplace is changing rapidly. The rise of remote work, the increasing importance of diversity and inclusion, and the growing focus on employee well-being are just a few of the trends that are shaping the future of work.
In this new environment, organizations that want to succeed will need to put employees first. This means creating a culture that is supportive, inclusive, and that encourages employees to bring their whole selves to work.
Here are some of the workplace trends that define 2023:
- The rise of the employee-centric organization. As employees have more choices about where they work, organizations will need to compete for talent by creating a workplace that is attractive and supportive. This means offering flexible work arrangements, investing in employee development, and creating a culture of trust and respect.
- The continued growth of remote work. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift to remote work, and this trend is likely to continue. Organizations that are successful at remote work will need to invest in technology and processes that support collaboration and communication.
- The increasing importance of diversity and inclusion. A diverse and inclusive workforce is essential for innovation and business success. Organizations that want to attract and retain top talent will need to create a culture that celebrates diversity and inclusion.
- The growing focus on employee well-being. Employees are increasingly demanding workplaces that support their well-being. This means offering flexible work arrangements, providing access to mental health resources, and creating a culture that is supportive and inclusive.
In addition to this, internal communications and workplace flexibility will reign supreme in the workplace. The convergence of the startup and corporate company cultures will lead to the emergence of ‘employee first’ culture when it comes to EX, while CSR initiatives will increase with the help of digitalization.
In the not-so-distant past, flexible working was seen as a perk provided only by certain businesses and, in many instances, only in isolated occasions. Today, in contrast, flexible working is the make-or-break factor for many employees. This has led from the smallest startup to the largest corporations like Barclays, Cisco and Vodafone, offering flexible working. Some, such as Simply Business have gone as far as starting to offer 4-day weeks. Expect many, many more of this in 2020.
One of the challenges technology has brought to the modern world is communication overload. Gone are the days when we only communicated by email. Tools such as Zoom, Notion, and Slack are becoming an everyday fixture in the modern workplace. This, in turn, has led to a rise in communication specialists as organizations try navigating new complexities such as lower productivity, increasing stress levels, and more confusion (where the intention was clarity), associated with these initiatives.
Tthe startup and corporate culture clash will become a thing of the past, particularly when it comes to EX. We are already seeing large corporations moving closer to that startup feel by offering cooler, more inspirational workplaces – a huge change compared to the traditional office environment of the past. On the flip side, many startups are moving rapidly into the scaleup territory, with thousands of customers and hundreds of employees, and with this, they too, are seeing a new level of formality required across communication and administrative systems. Expect to see these two traditionally conflicting cultures converge and the emergence of an ‘employee first’ culture, combining elements of both, in 2020.
Finally, CSR policies will also come into sharp focus next year as employers become under increasing pressure to provide initiatives for a socially-conscious generation, while partners and clients also start to pose questions about CSR. Currently, 63% of Brits don’t get any time off for volunteering, illustrating there’s clearly work to be done. With this, addressing climate change and helping the local community come top of the pile, and online platforms such as Beam, the world’s first crowdfunding network for the homeless, will make it easier than ever to support them.
Louise Jones, People Advisor at Perkbox, comments:
“Often in the midst of day to day business and targets we forget to pause and reflect as employers on what our goals are to improve the employee experience of our company. Let these predictions be a timely reminder to put employee voice at the forefront as we enter the new year”.
About the author: Perkbox is a platform that provides a unique employee experience, enriching the personal and working life of employees.
