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Top HR Trends for 2024 – Mary T. O’Sullivan
by Mary T. O’Sullivan, MSOL, contributing writer on business
“…there’s an emerging need for HR to support change within an organization as well as enabling innovation.” – McLean & Company
For many organizations, the workplace havoc created by the 2020 pandemic necessitated new thinking about how we work. HR departments in companies of all sizes bear the responsibility of satisfying the wants of employees with the needs of management. After three years of figuring it out on the fly, most organizations have gelled their approaches to the new ways we work in 2024.
So, what are some of the lessons learned from the last three years of work chaos? The first new trend is to address the issue of employee shortages. Every industry, especially the service industry, has been hit hard by lack of staff. HR is now taking a second look at people that were originally rejected or are currently underutilized. Those include the “neurodivergent” population, caregivers returning to the workforce, and retirees. There are 27 million of these people looking for work, more than enough to fill the 8.8 million job openings (as of November 2023), according to the US Department of Labor. In 2024 Talent Acquisition managers will have to leverage the strength of technology to recover this untapped workforce more easily, and as noted in HR Network, new technologies can also assist these hires by “customizing” tools and workflows to accommodate this more diverse workforce. This trend also avoids the specter of discriminatory hiring practices by reducing ageism, sexism, and other illegal methods of screening those otherwise qualified candidates.
Researching across the web, another important trend emerging is employee mental health. A report published by the US Chamber of Commerce states that 68% of large companies have added or improved programs such as employee assistance programs (EAP) or access to telehealth services or mental well-being programs. Since the pandemic, mental health services have been in high demand and employers are responding. The survey also says that 94% of companies with employees of 500 or more have strengthened their approach to employee mental health. The stresses imposed by “work from home”, then “return to work” mandates, juggling childcare, finances, and spouse’s layoffs, has taken its toll on workers. Mental health is a major need for people today, and most employers are responding with better mental health benefits coverage and more ways to support employees before they quit or burn out on the job.
The elephant in the room is the employee’s work situation in 2024: hybrid, work from home, fully remote, and flexible work hours. To accommodate these needs, companies are learning to incorporate a flexible work model into the business. Most employees enjoy the flexibility, collaboration, and psychological safety a flexible model affords them. In addition, with less office space used, companies save money on leasing and owning building space in pricey locations that are no longer needed. According to a study conducted by AT&T, 81% of workers will switch to a hybrid or flexible model by the end of 2024. Corporate giants like Ford, Microsoft and Amazon have long incorporated hybrid work into their business model, Smart employers will continue this trend, adding to employee satisfaction and well-being by reducing commuting time and costs, and supporting employee well-being and work-life balance. Increased job satisfaction helps to retain and attract new talent.
The year 2024 is the year of quelling the workplace chaos, settling in to new, adaptable routines, and acting on the lessons learned over the last three years. More studies have shown that the better the employee experience, the more productivity improves, absenteeism reduces, and the bottom-line increases. It feels almost as if we finally know what we are doing.
“No economy can succeed without a high-quality workforce, particularly in an age of globalization and technical change” – Ben Bernanke.
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Read all Mary’s columns here: https://rinewstoday.com/mary-t-osullivan-msol-pcc-shrm-scp/
Mary T. O’Sullivan, Master of Science, Organizational Leadership, International Coaching Federation Professional Certified Coach, Society of Human Resource Management, “Senior Certified Professional. Graduate Certificate in Executive and Professional Career Coaching, University of Texas at Dallas.
Member, Beta Gamma Sigma, the International Honor Society.
Advanced Studies in Education from Montclair University, SUNY Oswego and Syracuse University.
Mary is also a certified Six Sigma Specialist, Contract Specialist, IPT Leader and holds a Certificate in Essentials of Human Resource Management from SHRM.
Connect with Mary:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marytosullivan/