What got us thinking week #12

Back with our weekly dose of three things to read to give you great chat at work this week. We do the hard work so you don't have to.

Employment trends for 2024

Hiring Lab, Indeed's research unit, have published their 2024 outlook. Key forecasts are for the historically tight labour market to loosen slightly this year, but with candidates likely to retain a degree of leverage over pay and flexibility set to remain a powerful tool for job attraction and retention. Meanwhile, generative AI will increasingly be adopted by forward thinking businesses. An analysis of UK job postings data indicates that 24% of jobs face the highest level of potential exposure (where GenAI can perform 80% or more of the skills in these jobs reasonably well), while jobs related to the creation and use of GenAI tools are surging, albeit from a low base. Lots to digest, start here:

Deja Vu?

The Great Resignation of 2022 is now turning into the Big Stay of 2024. WorkLife tell us that as the job market cools we're starting to see a return to normal - with people staying in their jobs for longer and churn reducing to the levels of 2019. Meanwhile Management Today tell us that after yearning for purpose and meaning in their work, people are once again saying that salary is their primary motivator. Is this a reflection of 2 years of high inflation eroding people's spending power?

In-person events are back!

Booking platform Eventbrite released their lookback on the trends from 2023, and the great news is the pandemic seems to be behind us at last with attendance at in-person events up 48% on 2022. Most relevant to us is how CVENT, an event tech provider, has noticed how the rise of remote and hybrid working has had a dramatic increase on the number of internal corporate events, as companies work harder to engage staff and foster team building and collaboration. The flip side of the bounce back is that high inflation is making the cost of delivering events rise, with costs per attendee now typically 25% higher than in 2019 - stretching budgets.

Bonus story!

Nominate a colleague

Management Today have opened nominations for their annual "35 Women Under 35", celebrating emerging female business leaders in the country's longest running most prestigious list of young female business talent. The judging panel includes the inspirational Rachael Flanagan, founder of Mrs. Buckét, who built her teenage pocket money job into a multi-million pound cleaning services business with 300 staff. Deadline 14th March, get nominating!