What Employers Can Expect in 2025: HR Trends and Challenges

As HR consultants, we’re closely monitoring the key trends and challenges that will shape the workplace in 2025. Here’s a quick snapshot.

Corporate culture may be tested as free speech and political opinions become more common in the workplace, creating new challenges for employers to manage. Alongside this, ASIC’s five-year review of the federal whistleblowing regime provides an opportunity for businesses to revisit their governance frameworks and strengthen their approach to conduct issues.

Operationally, we continue to see leadership capability as a huge challenge across all levels (leading hands to senior management). With the employment landscape and employee motivators frequently changing, it’s crucial that all businesses have capable leaders who understand their organisations goals and obligations, and can effectively bring these together through their teams.

This year, employers will need to prioritise proactive measures that address psychosocial hazards and sexual harassment to meet increasing employer obligations, as these remain high on the agenda for regulators. New anti-discrimination laws set to take effect in Queensland on July 1 2025, will also require businesses to comply with an expanded ‘positive duty’ and implement sexual harassment prevention plans. To stay ahead of these changes, we recommend employers review their workplace policies and training (at minimum) to ensure they are aligned with evolving legislative and regulatory requirements.

Following a high volume of unfair dismissal claims in 2024, businesses should review their internal investigation processes to ensure they’re compliant and effective. We’re seeing increased scrutiny on the procedures which led to terminations, and that’s likely to continue.

Furthermore, with intentional underpayments now a criminal offence, wage compliance should be a top priority for all businesses, no matter their size. The Fair Work Ombudsman has a strong focus on this across many sectors, so the time is now for employers to make wage compliance an urgent action item.

Looking ahead, the right to disconnect and gender equality, especially in gender-segregated industries, are critical areas for employers to address. Flexible working arrangements will remain an ongoing challenge, with additional steps for employers to follow in the process. All employers should review their policies to ensure balance between business needs and employee rights.

In the first half of 2025, the Clerks Award will introduce a standard working-from-home clause, which may eventually extend to other modern awards. Watch this space!

Finally, we might see some new HR buzz words, some of which might make you laugh out loud!!

• Bare Minimum Mondays: a stress-reducing work trend where employees start the week by focusing only on essential tasks to ease into productivity.
• Digital Nomad: someone who works remotely while traveling, using technology to stay connected and complete their job from anywhere in the world.
• Ghost Jobs: are job ads that remain online even when there is no real hiring happening, often used to build a talent pool or project an image of company growth.
• Personality Hire: someone hired primarily for their attitude, energy, or cultural fit rather than just their skills or experience.

As always, the team at Edwards HR is here to help so feel free to reach out.

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