Top 10 Emerging People Trends of 2023

As we gear up to plan and budget for 2023, it's essential that we stay attuned to emerging people trends in the workplace. These trends are shaped by employee expectations, social issues, and economic conditions, and can provide us with critical insights to help us shape our strategic approach to people. As the global economy tries to get back on its feet and walks the path of recovery, we must be cognizant of important trends to fully exploit their potential, gain a competitive advantage and accelerate the recovery process.?

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We constantly read from a variety of sources to stay on top of organisational trends, so with that in mind, we are pleased to share with you our summary of the top 10 emerging people trends of 2023:

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1. Quiet hiring:? Keeping the in-demand talent? and finding the competitive talent they need — when staff budgets are contracting or staying flat is the challenge. Organisations will first look internally for the skills they need, then experiment with alternate employment models to obtain what they can’t find in-house in an effort to help keep payroll costs low, assist with retention and cultivate skills internally. (see our previous post for more details)

2. Remote work and the hybrid workplace: The concept of remote work made inroads into business strategies as an acceptable and efficient form of work since the onset of the pandemic. The focus will shift from accepting it as a mode of work to understanding and rethinking the employee experience of remote workers to accommodate their specific needs and expectations. Owing to its nascent state, we’re all still trying to chalk out the best practices of the hybrid workplace and which tasks should be prioritised for work from the office and work from home.?

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3. Inclusivity: We know that inclusivity in the workforce directly correlates with productivity and motivation to work. Apart from the efforts to diversify the workforce, 2023 is expected to continue conversations around creating more inclusive environments and demonstrate commitment to greater accessibility, belonging, and justice.

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4. Talent retention: In today's talent-deficient market, businesses must design strategies that accommodate employee needs, and aspirations to attract and retain talent. Businesses will start seriously considering and deploying such strategies this year to gain a competitive advantage.?

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5. Employee mental health: We know that the buffeted effect of multiple lockdowns and restrictions has affected employees' mental health. The scope of mental health is now expected to be broadened to organisations reconstructing work in ways that decrease the demands placed on employees, thereby promoting long-lasting mental health.?

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6. Economic uncertainty: While economies worldwide seem to be improving, inflation and recession remain uncertain. Businesses are expected to seek to create robust defence mechanisms against such uncertainties, and to try to protect their employees from downsizing (note our previous post on quiet hiring).

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7. Leadership: 2023 requires leaders with new skills, traits and competencies. Leadership development and coaching will focus on developing capabilities that produce new approaches to current issues.

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8. Data risks: As businesses explore new avenues of work, such as the remote and hybrid modes, they are investing heavily in technologies to ensure seamless collaboration. This implies that more data is shared and generated and thus gives rise to more data risks, a new and ongoing trend shaping the way of work in the future.

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9. Deeper focus on tech: Organisations will more heavily leverage tech and artificial intelligence as enablers for performance, and the ethical implications of these practices for fairness, diversity, inclusion, and data privacy becoming more salient.??

10.? Development of Gen Z: The pandemic imposed social isolation and likely dampened learning for many particularly Gen Z. It has potentially hampered the workforce readiness of this workforce in terms of technical and social skills driving a strong focus on development and bridging gaps.

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As the world is taking steps towards embracing the benefits of remote work, businesses are investing efforts to make the remote workforce successful.? To ensure that these emerging trends are handled effectively, businesses must not only implement these trends in their day-to-day operations but also create an environment that enables employees to understand and embrace them.

Contact us at 1300 791 950? - we’d love to hear from you.?