MORE WORKPLACE PREDICTIONS FOR LEADERS TO CONSIDER IN 2024

We’re just out of January, but still at the top of the year, so I’d like to continue to share some of the articles and thought leadership pieces I’ve been reading around leadership trends in 2024.

In my last article, I highlighted an extract from a new Gartner report and, as promised, I’m taking a deeper dive into it, looking at each of the predictions the global HR giant has made…

The ‘Cost-of-Work’ Crisis Reaches a Breaking Point

Staff who have been working remotely or in a hybrid environment have experienced what it’s like to work without the costs – financial, time and energy – associated with going into the office or studio every day. With some employers now requiring them to return to their place of work, sometimes full-time, staff are now super aware of what they ‘spend’ to go to work.

According to Gartner, organisations looking to attract and retain talent will not just try to find the perfect hybrid strategy, but they will also look to tackle the cost of work by introducing the likes of travel incentives, housing subsidies, wellbeing programmes and childcare or caring benefits.

AI Creates, Not Diminishes, Workforce Opportunity

There has been much discussion – and some anxiety – about how Generative AI will impact jobs, Gartner predicts that it will fully replace very few jobs, at least in the short to medium term. However, Gartner believes that GenAI will lower the level of technical skills needed for many roles, widely increasing the number of positions that candidates can apply for. Meanwhile, those jobs heavily impacted by GenAI will be redesigned and will have new responsibilities that include interacting with GenAI tools.

Four-Day Workweeks Go from Radical to Routine

A four-day workweek (4DWW) has been a hot topic of conversation within games and beyond. But embracing a 4DWW will require organisations to rethink the flow of the work week and re-examine what is necessary to get work done.

Gartner claims that in 2024 organisations will use 4DWWs to improve areas like employee engagement, performance and wellbeing, as well as improving business outcomes such as eliminating inefficiencies.

Employee Conflict Resolution is New Must-Have Skill for Managers

Conflicts between employees are poised to be at an all-time high in 2024 due to geopolitical crises, strikes, climate change, pushback to DEI efforts, and upcoming elections for half of the globe. Conflict resolution requires actively working through challenging moments, and intervening when colleagues have different viewpoints.

Gartner suggests that organisations should consider bringing in dedicated conflict management training, and create coaching opportunities for new managers.

Skills Overtake Degrees as the Paper Ceiling Crumbles

Degrees are the top requirement of yesterday’s job descriptions, says Gartner. Organisations today are increasingly shredding the ‘paper ceiling’ – the invisible barrier workers without degrees face – and embracing skills-based hiring, even for some jobs long considered degree-dependent. And, of course, removing the requirement for degree-level education from job listings, will allow companies to recruit from a much wider talent pool.

Climate Change Protection Becomes the New In-Demand Employee Benefit

As Gartner points out, severe climate change-related events are no longer just localised and episodic, but rather becoming more persistent and widespread, which is leading some organisations to making climate change disaster response a part of benefits packages.

DEI Doesn’t Disappear, It Becomes the Way We Work

There has been a growing sense of disillusionment with DEI over the past few years; in the US, sadly there’s even a sense of direct pushback. However, the important need for diverse, equitable and inclusive workforces remains, leaving some business leaders uncertain about what to do next. But Gartner sees that progressive organisations will make DEI initiatives fully embedded into their culture.

Career Stereotypes Collapse in the Face of Workforce Change

The traditional career path where employees rise up through the ranks and retire at the peak of their career is going away. Many employees don’t retire at all or do so after a career shift or break. At the same time, other factors are impacting careers, such as parenting, caring, economic situations and more. Gartner believes that going forward, employers will be more open to the likes of job sharing or reduced hours to provide more flexibility.

If you’d like to read more, the full Gartner article is here.

And I’d love to hear your thoughts on these predictions!