It’s no secret that employers are always looking to hire the best and brightest talent. That said, the best way to find these people is by keeping up with industry trends and staying on top of changes in the workplace. Here are some of the most significant shifts we’ll see in the workplace over the next few years.
Flexibility Will Remain a Top Workplace Trend
The flexibility trend has reached an all-time high. A recent survey conducted by McKinsey found that 58% of the 25,000 respondents had the opportunity to work from home once a week, and 35% had it five days a week.
Employees are more interested in flexible work arrangements than they were just last year, and with good reasons. Flexible work arrangements offer a number of benefits to both workers and employers, including reduced stress at home and at the office, stronger employee engagement, and higher productivity.
However, not all companies are ready for this growing trend, especially when it comes to accommodating telecommuting or remote working opportunities for their employees. To those companies looking to adapt their workplace design to meet these changing needs, we recommend taking a look at how other organizations have successfully achieved such a transition.
Remote Work Will Continue to Increase
Remote work is a growing trend, and it’s not going anywhere. With the rise of the mobile workforce and remote work culture come new challenges for managers and HR departments alike. But it also provides opportunities to rethink how you manage your office space and engage with your employees.
Your company’s success depends on its ability to attract top talent while retaining that talent over time. Using technology as a way to allow employees to maintain their careers while also striking out on their own can only improve your chances of retaining them. With remote workers, in particular, companies have an opportunity to keep talented people on board even if they’re located far away from headquarters.
Employers Will Embrace the Hybrid Office
So, you have your office. It’s a comfortable space where employees can go to work and collaborate with their colleagues in person. Aside from this, you also allow remote workers the ability to log into their desks remotely and get some work done without stepping foot into the office building. But this is only half of the story when it comes to what makes a great workplace in 2023 and beyond.
The other half is making sure that all of your employees can work from home if they so choose. There are benefits for both sides. For instance, working remotely gives employees more flexibility with their schedule, which allows them more freedom in how they spend their time outside of work.
Employers Will Have to Get Creative With New Perks
A survey conducted by McKinsey reveals that employers are now also planning various health benefits packages in a bid to retain their talent pool. The report further claims that employers perceive the cost of such perks as a relatively less important thing when compared to acquiring talented employees for the company. This shows that employers are willing to cater to the emotional and social needs of their employees.
As competition for talent increases, employers will have to get creative with new perks. After all, it’s a given that you can’t offer the same standard benefits as your competitors. You’ll need to offer something unique and memorable that makes your job stand out from the pack.
As such, exciting perks and benefits accompanying a job position will be the norm of the day sometime in the future. Here are some of the perks we see being popular:
- Flexible work arrangements
- Paid time off for volunteer activities
- Parental leave (maternity and paternity)
- Childcare reimbursement
- Office day-outs and team-building trips
Additionally, you could consider providing meals on-site or happy hour catering. Happy hours are an excellent way to let your employees unwind and connect with their coworkers outside work. They can be instrumental in improving employee engagement, particularly in today’s hybrid workplaces.
Most Employees Want Flexibility, Autonomy, and Friendship at Work
Employees value flexibility, autonomy, and friendship. They want to know that they’re part of a community at work and that their employer cares about them as people. To keep your top talent engaged, you’ll need to provide opportunities for self-expression and personal growth. And if you’re serious about attracting millennials into your workforce, you’ll also have to show employees that they can trust the company’s leadership. Make sure those leaders are empowered enough to be responsive in uncertain times.
Collaboration Will Take a Turn
In the past, collaboration meant working together with other employees in your department. But now, it will mean working with others in different departments, as well as customers and vendors outside of the company. Collaboration is no longer just about getting things done. It also means creating new products and services that truly meet customer needs.
The Workforce Will Grow Increasingly Diverse
Diversity is good for business. A diverse, inclusive workforce brings with it a variety of perspectives and ideas. The more varied your employees are, the less likely you are to fall victim to groupthink or get stuck in a rut. This can be especially valuable when it comes to thinking outside the box on new products or services that will help your company thrive in the future.
In its report Diversity Matters, McKinsey reports that companies with racial and ethnic diversity have 35% more probability of generating better revenues than their competitors. The same report also suggests that companies with gender diversity are 15% more likely to have better performance.
If you’re working towards a more inclusive workplace culture but don’t see results immediately, don’t give up. Diversity takes time.
You may want to consider focusing on bringing people together through events like happy hours or social mixers so they can get acquainted before diving into their professional lives. You could also conduct formal training sessions around things like unconscious bias awareness.
It’s important that your employees feel comfortable enough within the walls of their work. They should be willing to share their experiences openly. Otherwise, this kind of training won’t do much good for anyone involved.
Employees Will Help Drive Workplace Design
You can’t overlook this trend. The way employees work, and the spaces they inhabit are constantly changing, and with those changes come new expectations. Employees will help drive workplace design, meaning that your office needs to evolve to meet their demands.
Workplace design will be more collaborative and connected. People want to work collaboratively in open spaces or semi-private areas with plenty of natural light, as well as virtual environments where they can connect with colleagues from around the globe without being tethered to a single locale.
Employees are also looking for a sense of community and belonging, which can be achieved through communal spaces that foster collaboration and interaction.
Conclusion
The workplace of 2023 is likely to look very different from what we’re used to today. It will be more diverse and collaborative, with workers who are more empowered to do their jobs from wherever they want.
Business leaders should keep these trends in mind as they plan for their company’s future. They should make sure that work isn’t just about the bottom line but also about fostering a positive environment where employees feel valued and fulfilled.
