Gallup found that 53 percent of those surveyed expected hybrid work models to dominate the future, so it’s no surprise that this work option is the most significant current trend. In fact, hybrid work situations are becoming the norm in 2023 as many companies struggle to bring employees back into the office.

Today, employees want flexible working arrangements and savvy business leaders recognize the need to offer some flexibility to attract and retain top talent.

Having a hybrid workforce means that you can enjoy cheaper real estate costs as well, so there are many benefits to this flexible option.

Further, there is still uncertainty about the availability of good workers for the duration of this year and next, so you should consider offering a hybrid work option…and review your current office plans.

For example, if you need employees to come into an office, you must make it as enjoyable and productive as possible. There might be ways for you to rearrange the furniture or redecorate to make it easier for employees to see each other and collaborate.

Employee well-being

Another important trend employers need to be aware of is employee well-being. This is your employee's physical and mental health along with their career path and stability.

If you don't already have one, implement an employee well-being program to help your employees lead a healthy lifestyle. Employees who feel cared for and healthy are typically more productive. It can also make them more engaged, which improves retention rates.

You should create a work environment that is healthy and supportive. When your employees feel supported and able to care for themselves, they're more likely to engage with your company and show up to work full of energy.

The Covid pandemic emphasized employee well-being. Many employees found they were burnt out and getting physically sick. Now, those employees are prioritizing their health. They expect the same treatment from their employers, whether they've been in the job for years or a few months.

You should design a workspace and working conditions that help tackle fatigue from tech, give employees the ability to meditate, and allow them to take time off when needed, which brings us to the next trend: The four-day work week.

The four-day work week

The current five-day work week isn’t that old; it was adopted during The Great Depression at a time when people typically worked 70 hours or more per week.1

Enter the Covid pandemic and the lockdown where workers’ stress and burnout skyrocketed as they attempted to balance the increased demands of domestic life and their job. Result? Workplace inefficiencies and in some industries, mass resignations.

The lockdowns and contagion caused a shift to remote work and that changed everyone’s thinking about how we can work productively. Employers found that letting employees work from home didn’t mean they didn’t work, the opposite happened – productivity increased and they found they could manage scheduling around worker’s more flexible schedules.

Fast forward to today and the results are in, in a six-month test of the four-day work week, the 33 U.S. and Irish companies participating found:

  • A four-day workweek makes workers happier,
  • Over 45 percent of participants reported higher job satisfaction,
  • 60 percent reported improved work-life balance,
  • 7 percent reported increased stress due to fitting work into a tighter schedule,
  • 4 percent reported decreased stress levels over the trial period,
  • Workers reported feeling a higher energy level going in, knowing they have a shorter workweek, and
  • Revenues rose an average of 8.14 percent and increased a whopping 37.55 percent in comparison with the same period the previous year.

By almost every measure both employers and employees overwhelmingly judged the new schedule a success. The non-profit organization that conducted the study, 4 Day Week Global (https://www.4dayweek.com/) also reveals in its many studies that 63 percent of businesses find it easier to attract and retain talent and 78 percent of employees are happier and less stressed.

Increased use of technology

Remote and hybrid work is dominating the workforce. This means that technology will be heavily used to promote collaborative working environments.

Companies must invest in software and tools to facilitate workflow automation and communication. This, in turn, will enhance productivity.

Companies might use technologies like machine learning, blockchain technology, and artificial intelligence. There are also many mobile apps out there that can help workers, regardless of where they're working from.

Now, it's easy for companies to find technology that can help them grow and work efficiently. Many of these new apps and tools can also be integrated with other technology to make it easier for customers to work together.

For example, apps like Slack or Microsoft Teams will become popular as more employees communicate virtually. Tools like Notion, Basecamp, Asana, and Jira will also track projects and provide visibility to other teams.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI is a popular tool that is taking the workforce by storm. ChatGPT is the latest AI tool many companies are integrating into their tech stack.

Some recruiting companies are also utilizing AI to recruit top talent. There's no denying that ChatGPT can help automate a lot of the recruiting process. However, AI tools also have the power to source and identify candidates who would be a good fit for your company.

However, the rules and ethics around AI are still in question, and there are some laws regarding its use. For example, in New York City, employers need to be careful when using AI recruiting tools and will have to disclose their hiring metrics.

AI is also becoming popular in other industries. These include marketing, engineering, and even healthcare. Almost all companies can find a way to use AI to streamline and automate some of their processes to improve employee productivity.

Workplace surveillance

Another technology trend that we might see in 2023 is workplace surveillance. This will become more popular as employees work outside the office.

Employee tracking software is becoming more popular, but is it sometimes being used wrongly?

Some businesses are likely to look into this type of software because owners believe if not watched, employees will be goofing off and not doing their jobs. It can help them ensure their workforce is working on projects rather than vacationing. Some tools can track an employee's computer habits. For example, you can see what they click on and look at and how long they spend on each page.

Other companies use surveillance software to help their employees, not punish them. Do you recall George Bernard Shaw’s “Pygmalion”? It was a resounding hit as a motion picture as well as a play on London and New York stages. It entertainingly shows how people are motivated to rise to what you believe them to be capable of.

Rather than tracking what an employee does all day, they can use this software to ensure they take breaks and get up to move around and help them track their progress on projects so they and their team know where things are. A key ingredient to having this work is for their leaders to let people know they believe in them and that they can get the work done when it’s needed without having to look over their shoulder all the time.

Not surprisingly, governments in some countries are concerned about the privacy issues related to this software and are placing ever-increasing restrictions on its use.

Regardless, if you decide to try out tracking software, you should focus on the quality of your employees work. How many hours they spent working on a project is less important.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

DEI will also become more fleshed out as more and more employees and candidates say they want to work at a company that values diversity. To address this, you'll need your HR department to work on some tools and strategies to help manage these employees.

For example, you may want to designate safe spaces, whether it's physical or virtual. And you always want to create a safe space for marginalized people to speak up about something they're experiencing.

When you've fleshed out your diversity strategy, you can also start training your employees. They can use these DEI initiatives to meet their goals and learn how to create an open and welcoming environment for their peers.

You can also review the company communication and ensure it's inclusive.

Focusing on diversity initiatives to create a diverse and equitable workplace culture can help your company's retention rates, productivity, and profit.

Hiring nontraditional employees

For the balance of 2023, it will still be challenging for companies to find the perfect candidate. As a result, many companies will turn to new types of employees and talent pipelines to fill those open positions.

It can also help with diversity initiatives by having a diverse talent pipeline. Many employees today don't have traditional career paths, and many have different skills and capabilities.

Companies can use these skills to help their business and fill crucial roles with someone with the basic skills. Companies will start looking for experience and skills rather than just credentials.

Many organizations already do this in their job posting by not requiring formal education, like a college degree. Some recruiters also spend time reaching out to these candidates to recruit and train them in their business.

A focus on stability

Global warming becomes an even more challenging problem day by day and year by year. And, consumers are starting to hold employers accountable for their environmental actions.

This means that more and more companies are starting to focus on sustainability. They're implementing so-called "green" concepts and practices into their business structure. For example, they might decide to have a hybrid or remote workforce to reduce the number of people who are commuting.

In the U.S., an average car releases 650 grams of CO2 per kilometer. By not requiring their workforce to always come into the office, they are helping to reduce their carbon footprint. They can also downsize or even get rid of their office entirely if they have a partially or fully remote workforce.

Learn more about 2023 workplace trends

We’ve covered the hybrid workforce and other major trends here, but as the year progresses, there will certainly be others. Therefore, if you want your company to compete successfully, you must keep current.

Check out our newsletter articles to learn about the latest trends that will benefit you and your employees. If you have questions, send us an email or call. We’re experts at helping businesses deal with change and motivate and retain people.

Brian Tracy USA: 877.433.6225 Email Me feedback@focalpointcoaching.com

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