Workplace 2024 Wrapped: What Now, What’s Next?

As the year draws to a close, it's a good time to pause and reflect on a question that has guided us through 2024: What does it truly mean to lead with humanity? This question continues to evolve as rapidly as the workforce itself, shaping the way we approach work, leadership, and well-being. The highs and lows have made it hard to stay centered. We’ve done a lot of work, and there’s a lot of work left to be done.?

In this final newsletter of 2024, we want to celebrate what we’ve seen and learned while looking forward to the possibilities of 2025. We’ll honor the progress we’ve made and explore how we’ll continue shaping the future of work.

2024: A Year of Defining Moments

From epic political elections across nations to extreme weather events, economic uncertainty, and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence – 2024 may have been the year where we all realized that uncertainty is a certainty. While we cannot predict what will happen, we’ve had to build a level of resilience - both personal and organizational - to withstand what comes our way.?

For those who have adapted and thrived, this year was about more than managing change; it was about rethinking how we lead, work, and support each other as humans in a complex world. Leaders and organizations faced shifting employee expectations and took bold steps to redefine workplace policies and cultures.?

At idealis, we’ve had the privilege of capturing these shifts in our Pulse of the U.S. Workforce report. Our quarterly report, published in October, analyzed workplace preferences from over 100,000 workers. The insights remind us that leadership isn’t just about strategy; it’s about heart. Workplaces aren’t merely offices; they’re communities where connection and purpose matter.

We cannot enforce our way to keeping people engaged and productive. We need to design workplaces with the right conditions and practices to ensure businesses and people can perform at their best.?

We’ve learned that the human experience at work is about more than how or where we work. It comes down to who we work with, the shared purpose we embrace, and the role work plays in our lives. It is defined by our capacity to be valued, add value and feel valued. The modern workplace is the last - and longest-lasting - opportunity for lifelong education for adults, and we are at the forefront of defining the space at idealis. It’s exhausting and energizing work.? By equipping leaders with actionable insights and solutions, we’re helping organizations build cultures rooted in humanity—and the results have been transformative. We don’t just lead better when we lead with humanity - we become better versions of ourselves - as leaders, as family members, and as community members and citizens.?

The Heartbeat of 2024: Leading with Humanity

We are on the cusp of a leadership revolution. People are demanding to be seen, understood and supported by those in power. Our December Pulse report found that 48% of U.S. workers do not admire the person they work for. This signals a deeper frustration with leadership—a sentiment that, if left unaddressed, could erode the very foundation of a company’s success.

But there’s hope: 52% of workers do admire their leaders, and many leaders are rising to the challenge. From fostering trust to prioritizing team well-being, we’ve seen examples of leadership that inspire us to believe in what’s possible. Empathy moved from buzzword to superpower, reshaping workplaces across industries. It’s a stark reminder that the best bosses aren’t just problem-solvers—they’re human-centered leaders who understand that business goals are achieved by understanding and supporting the people who drive them.

The fall of DEI efforts has given rise to an imminent calling – we can’t give up on the commitment to creating workplaces where people of all backgrounds can thrive. We need to double down on the belief that business is better when people can work productively independently, and together. And we need to create the conditions for people - of all backgrounds - to reach their fullest potential. It’s the right thing to do, and it’s the thing we have to get right in order for modern businesses to thrive.?

Humanity at Work: A Priority, Not a Perk

If 2024 taught us anything, it’s this: workplaces thrive when people thrive. Supporting employees fully isn’t just kind—it’s strategic.

People are not okay. The tragic assassination of a corporate CEO by a young person - who on paper, would likely check the Workday boxes of high potential and successful - raises so many questions. The rhetoric after the death of a CEO is even more heart wrenching.?

How have we lost our way so badly? How do we find our way back?

Trust in CEOs are at an all time low - 47% of U.S. workers cite not trusting their CEO in December’s Pulse report. Trust in major companies is also extremely low - 64% of U.S. workers distrust major companies. We live in a world where we lack trust - in each other, in those who lead us, and in the institutions we rely on. That is scary and threatening and can cause us to feel off-center and unbalanced. We have to do better as companies and leaders in society.??

We see in our data that employees are demanding fairness, flexibility, and fulfillment, and that prioritizing well-being is a baseline expectation for many. Burnout, stress, and disconnection reached all-time highs, prompting workers to seek employers who prioritize their health and happiness—not only for themselves but for their families, too. Our research has consistently shown that employees who feel physically, emotionally, and mentally supported are more productive, innovative, and engaged. Our client work has also revealed that companies who don’t prioritize well-being feel it in their healthcare budgets, with the rising cost of healthcare and chronic health conditions.?

This isn’t about flashy perks or “soft skills”; it’s about creating environments with leaders who are equipped to help people feel valued and motivated to do their best work, and are focused on doing this work in service of a greater purpose. Organizations that invested in leadership and culture this year stood out in the competitive talent market, and those who didn’t… they risked being left behind, with their people and in their P&L.?

Key Workplace Experience Trends for 2025

Looking ahead, here are four trends that we believe will define the workplace in the coming year:

1. Human Core as a Core Focus

Companies are moving beyond surface-level initiatives around wellness and diversity, acknowledging that people are multidimensional and need to address their core needs. That includes integrating comprehensive mental health support through therapy access, creating social connections for those suffering from loneliness, and offering development to those seeking greater skills and growth. Leaders who normalize vulnerability and sharing “who you are” at work will foster deeper connections, greater trust, and higher performance of humans at work.?

2. Flexibility as a Workplace Preference

The hybrid model is evolving, with companies crafting intentional flexibility policies to balance personal and professional lives. Whether it’s flexible hours, focus days for deep work, or built-in wellness breaks, these innovations help employees thrive. Our latest Pulse of the U.S. Workforce Quarterly Edition on “How We Work” revealed that hybrid workers are more engaged, trust their leaders more, and feel greater admiration for their companies. Perhaps we should stop naming and categorizing the way we work (beyond a Workday toggle) and instead, encourage leaders and workers to embrace flexibility to meet the demands of work and life, we might get farther, faster.?

3. Leaders as the Conduit?

Leaders are struggling and so are their people. Investment in a new way of leading is going to pay dividends to those who take a bold stance on the topic. The leadership theories of the past did not account for the complexity of the world we live in. Leaders are untrained and ill-equipped to lead effectively without some guidance–- and they are the unlock. Most people at work experience their “company” as the “company” they keep… their leader, their colleagues and peers, and perhaps, their own direct reports. Which means that the key to creating more resilient and thriving organizations lies in the hands of the individual leaders who run the small teams, the divisions and the functional groups nested within the broader company.? We anticipate more organizations will realize that the greatest threat - and greatest asset - to their company’s success lies in the caliber of the leaders who are in positions of power and influence.?

4. Culture as the Differentiator

In the face of DEI backlash, uncertainty in the markets, and evolving workplace sentiment, we expect companies to control the thing they can control – the values and behaviors that they expect from their employees. In conversations with leaders of small privately held companies to executives of multinational publicly traded companies - we are hearing leaders fall back on what they stand for. Culture - when caught up in a whirlwind of change and volatility - is a grounding force, reminding us of what is normal, what is valued, and what is expected of us. Just as households have rules to live by, we expect companies to re-establish the rules to live by for their employees. Whether that is around use of AI, keeping cameras on as remote workers, behaving respectfully towards colleagues of varying backgrounds, or promoting talent based on merit and capabilities. The companies that will have an easier time navigating uncertain conditions will have established the foundation of a strong and human-centric culture, making it easier on leaders and workers to stay the course and stay motivated.?

Looking Ahead to 2025

As we reflect on the lessons of 2024, one thing is clear: the workplaces of tomorrow are being built today. They are places where humanity is celebrated, well-being is prioritized, and leadership is rooted in empathy, authenticity, and care. They are marked by extraordinary productivity, creativity and performance - where humans are unleashing their fullest potential towards their personal and professional aspirations, and are relentlessly pursuing the achievement of organizational and societal goals.

We hope to carry these lessons forward together. Because when we lead with humanity, we don’t just create better organizations—we create a better world. Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Here’s to a 2025 filled with clear purpose, human connection, and immense progress towards a future of work worth fighting for.?