As we step into the 2024 workplace, a few things feel radically different. Technology has diminished the boundaries of traditional offices and has given rise to new virtual office spaces. Innovations in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are fostering greater productivity and efficiency but can introduce risk.
The importance of employee well-being and work-life balance has gained wider recognition. The impact of global events such as climate change has altered workplace dynamics — employees are now demanding a much more flexible, forward-thinking, environmentally friendly, safe and inclusive work environment. All of which sets the stage for trends expected to influence the modern workplace in 2024.
1. AI Opens Up New Opportunities For the Workforce
While it’s certainly possible that the introduction of AI might lead to some job losses in the short term, it’s also true that long term, innovation creates more jobs than it destroys. For example, businesses might replace graphic designers with generative AI; however, they will still need skilled prompt engineers to query AI to design things based on business preferences (style, tone, color, etc.).
Companies are openly embracing AI in their operations, product development, research, and more. Though well intended, there is some level of hype and FOMO (fear of missing out) that are driving some executives to jump into AI without fully understanding the implications of where they may land.
On the risk management side, deploying AI may lead to negative outcomes. Not enough attention is being paid to access control policies and zero-trust implementations. Without access control, an employee could query the company’s AI tool to search for a co-worker’s salary or home address. Privacy issues arise.
Also, so-called “hallucinations” happen when AI just plainly gets the facts wrong. This means you must have quality control protocols in place and hope employees make good judgments. Assigning specific roles for QC personnel will need to be taken seriously. Employee awareness training will be necessary to teach users where the guardrails are in the usage of generative AI.
2. Secure Behavior Comes to the Spotlight
Although cyber risk has been traditionally perceived as a type of technological risk, in 2024, businesses won’t utter the word “AI” or digital transformation without mentioning the imperative of cybersecurity. Cybersecurity doesn’t just mean installing more technology, there’s also the human element which often goes underrated.
What we’ve learned from previous years is that 74% of security breaches are a consequence of human error. That’s why a top focus area for organizations in 2024 must include fortifying cybersecurity defenses and developing positive cybersecurity habits among employees via security awareness training that should include social engineering and phishing simulation testing.
3. Conflict Resolution Becomes a Sought-After Skill in Managers
Being an election year in a politically divisive society, you should anticipate a rise in employee conflicts. Some conflicts may be par for the course, such as employment issues like job cuts and tighter budgets. A lot will hinge on workplace policies where employees will be asked to return to the office full-time or a hybrid model that calls for limiting the number of days working from home.
Conflicts can arise due to polarizing opinions and ideological conflicts over geopolitical issues. Unfortunately, conflict resolution isn’t something that comes naturally to all managers. Organizations must therefore provide adequate tools, training, and resources to managers so they can approach conflicting situations with empathy and mutual respect. HR should be present, armed with innovative ways to resolve employee conflicts.
4. Employers Leverage Climate Change and Sustainability Practices to Attract Talent
Unambiguous global consensus among climatologists proves that the Earth’s climate is rapidly degrading. Billion-dollar weather events are escalating in frequency. Since 1980, NOAA has reported 373 climate-related events cost the U.S. a sum of $2.65 trillion. As these climate-related issues continue to escalate, HR will be required to adjust office policies to accommodate worker preferences if they hope to sustain employee well-being and retention.
Organizations will likely begin to market their green initiatives to entice prospective workers. Evidence already proves that the new generation of employees favor climate-conscious companies and there is a direct correlation between corporate sustainability and talent acquisition.
5. DEI Becomes More Data Driven
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has garnered a lot of recent attention and discussion. Unfortunately, studies show that businesses will need another 151 years to close the economic gender gap, and forget about things like race, orientation, physical ability, etc. The problem is that most organizations have been focused on surface-level diversity metrics for too long. In 2024 and beyond, we can expect organizations to be more data-driven. Leaders need access to more accurate DEI data, to actively track DEI investments, and to include DEI as a key component in organizational processes such as hiring, development, and sourcing.
Wrapping Up
How 2024 will pan out remains to be seen. That said, HR teams have a unique opportunity in front of them to include the above trends in their strategic planning so they can boost employee productivity, mitigate cyber risk, negotiate conflicts, and attract, build, and retain a stable workforce.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.