The world of work is constantly evolving, and the human resources (HR) function is at the forefront of this transformation. As we step into 2024, organizations are grappling with a multitude of challenges and opportunities, from navigating the post-pandemic work environment to addressing the ever-increasing demands of a diverse, skilled workforce. To effectively navigate this shifting landscape, HR professionals must stay ahead of emerging trends, anticipate future needs and adapt their strategies accordingly while staying centered on their greatest asset — people. With agility, foresight and a human focus, HR can play a defining role in shaping the future of work.
In my role, it’s become evident that change is faster and more common than ever. Organizations poised to succeed aren’t necessarily the largest or best capitalized but rather those that can adapt to the new environment most rapidly. From digital to culture to sustainability to AI, transformations impose significant challenges to organizations of all sizes in all industries. In fact, most change initiatives fail. These failures don’t stem from bad consultancies or poor planning. Failure is often rooted in change resistance from a workforce set in their ways.
To combat this troublesome change resistance, the smartest organizations will implement tactics that support workers across career levels down to the shop floor, and a proven method to provide that support is coaching. Resilience and successful change and transformation are the most important criteria for sustainable corporate success and value creation. Coaching empowers workforces to adapt quickly, identify areas of opportunity and ensure the success of the transformation. Coaching has the transformative potential to support people and their careers through times of change and, by doing so, drive the success of entire organizations.
I’ve tapped additional industry leaders to share their perspectives on what HR trends they foresee will play a major part in company success in 2024 and beyond.
The New Generation of Caregivers Wants Simplicity and Flexibility
“Home health agencies must change their approach to retain the new generation of caregivers. Younger workers often work for more than one agency, and they’re more likely to cover shifts with the employer that provides the smoothest HR experience. This means creating HR interoperability to simplify paperwork and time tracking. Agencies should offer flexible paycheck options such as on-demand pay or earned wage access. Many of these caregivers live paycheck to paycheck. The ability to receive their hard-earned money at their discretion gives employees more flexibility and makes employers more attractive
— Peretz Rapoport, VP of Product at Empeon
Connection Without Cubicles
“When it comes to working remotely vs. in person, every company should implement a strategy aligning with their business priorities, values, and culture. In 2024, we will continue to see companies take different approaches to in-person and remote work, with some companies returning to the office full-time. That said, it’s important to recognize that in both in-person and remote settings, employees can – and do – drive connection and collaboration in new, innovative ways. In a remote workforce, listening to employees about what makes them feel connected to their company and colleagues and developing strategies and programs that support them is especially important. It can be challenging, but it’s worth the investment.”
—Laura Selig, Chief People Officer, Model N
The Great Resignation Has Evolved into Job Hopping
“Gone are the days of people being loyal to a company for 20 years. In this day and age, people are always looking for greener grass like better benefits and more money, and we’re increasingly seeing people move jobs much more quickly than we’ve seen in the past. There isn’t one single factor we can pinpoint that’s influencing this new way of approaching work, but rather multiple variables — desiring novel opportunities, seeking professional growth, wanting instant gratification. There is so much choice available to people that they’re always thinking, “What else is there?”
—Laurel McKenzie, Lead Behavioral Scientist – NAMER, CoachHub
Empowered Candidates Are Turning the Tables in Job Interviews
“The power dynamic of interviews is changing. More job seekers view their next role as an investment in themselves and are taking ownership of their careers to build a path to long-term professional success and financial security. Employers should expect a shift away from softball questions as candidates — especially from younger generations — treat companies with the same scrutiny they bring to renting an apartment or buying a car. Organizations will need to be ready to address their opportunities for career growth and learning, culture and values, and components of compensation beyond base salary.”
—Michelle Day, VP of HR at Pearson
There will always be a major focus on learning new skills and competencies to move toward goals, but I’ve also seen an increased interest in unlearning. In an age of complexity and endless possibilities, the ability to focus and prioritize is becoming increasingly more important. It may be a challenge to take the million things you need to do and distill them into a single task, but there is power in prioritization.
—Rosie Evans-Krimme, Behavioral Scientist at CoachHub
Matti Niebelschütz is co-founder and CEO of CoachHub, the leading global digital coaching platform, funded with over $330M from leading investors including Sofina and SoftBank Vision Fund 2, and operated by a passionate team of 600 people from over 50 nations on a mission to democratize coaching worldwide. Matti has been named Top40 Under 40 by Capital Magazine. He is a serial entrepreneur and former McKinsey management consultant with 15 years of experience in Future of Work, startups and digital business building.