The transformation of the global labor market as a direct result of the pandemic and digital revolution is progressing. National borders will not be an obstacle to its spread.
In 2023, companies finally said goodbye to the post-pandemic era as businesses started to reconsider which model of work will achieve the best results in the future. While many organizations opted for hybrid work, others have imposed a complete return to the office for employees. Only some have decided to continue the home office model initiated en masse in the pandemic. With that being said, this is mainly the case in the technology and creative industries. Given the transformation that has been reshaping the labor market for many months, Deel, a global player providing technology for HR, has diagnosed some of the most important trends that are likely to dominate the employment space in 2024.
A diagnosis of the current labor market situation was undertaken by global recruiting firm Michael Page, showing in its Talent Trends report that the biggest transformation since the start of the Internet era is taking place in employment culture. One of the key findings of this analysis is about the growing importance of work-life balance as well as flexibility.
For many employees, the first and most important factor in workplace satisfaction is career-life balance. As many as seven out of 10 prioritize work-life balance over career success. Flexibility, in turn, is no longer a benefit, but a must-have for any company that wants to maintain its team without disruptive turnover. For many people today, a key aspect of a successful work-life is a reasonable number of working hours and the ability to use a hybrid system. Deel notes this major transformation that the employment sector is undergoing and diagnoses the major trends that will capture the recruitment space in the coming year.
Airplane Mode
Like the idea of unplugging at work and letting all those email updates and Slack dings melt away for a bit? Well, it may become standard practice for employers soon. In order to foster “deep focus,” one company—Density—is suggesting employees turn on Airplane Mode for 100 minutes and use that time to read, brainstorm or whatever else helps employees get in the zone.
A “Skills-First” Approach
The days of the college degree being an extremely expensive box-to-check on the resume may end. Companies worldwide are getting on board with the idea that if you’ve got the right skills, then you’re suitable for the job, even if you don’t have a 4+ year degree (or previous job titles, for that matter).
Rage Applying
Maybe you were passed over for a promotion, or your boss is being overbearing. Or, you’re just generally feeling mistreated at work. One reactiory tactic you might resort to is “rage applying.” In response to unhappiness at work, the rage-applier will fire off job applications as both an emotional release and a quick look to see if better options exist. While looking for greener pastures is often necessary, we’d recommend proceeding with caution.
End of the Five-Day Office Week
Who even made that rule anyway? Despite the push to bring workers back to the office, some amount of work from home is here to stay and consistent data is showing that RTO policies need to be revised. Workforces and management are questioning other parts of the employment status quo, especially in the face of daily hassles and commute costs.
Queenagers:
Meet a new worker category—women who began their careers as early as the 1980s and, through sheer will and determination, broke the glass ceiling, becoming ambitious corporate dynamos. They are typically between 45 and 65 years old, have older kids, and have relatively high incomes. Let’s hope this trend just becomes the norm.
Social Side Gigging
To make up for the social vacuum that remote, officeless work has created, some white-collar workers are taking up weekend jobs that have a lot of social interaction or even as a creative outlet. Foodservice and bartending are a particularly common choice amongst this crowd.
Unfiltered Zooming
Ditch the digital background! In the past few years, there have been significant calls to stop the excessive use of social media filters and Photoshop. 2024 might see us apply this to our digital backgrounds to encourage an authentic remote work culture. Apart from the fact virtual environments never work quite perfectly, your actual backdrop is part of you, so try not to cover it up. Tidy up, though—a little professionalism goes a long way.
