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Looking ahead is essential for successful businesses. Predicting what’s to come allows you to create opportunities and mitigate risks. Here are the most prevalent workplace trends you should monitor in 2023.
1. Onboarding Is More Important than Ever
The most important period in the employment lifecycle is the first 90 days on the job. You want employees to feel they made the right decision to join your organization. And, more importantly, you want to set them up for success.
A proper, practical onboarding process is key to engage new employees, set expectations and introduce them to your company culture. And it gives you the opportunity to communicate critical policies and complete required new hire forms.
Without effective onboarding, new employees are more likely to leave. In fact, a CareerBuilder survey found that 1 in 10 employees have left a company because of a poor onboarding experience. And when employees quit, work suffers. Remaining staff must then pick up the slack resulting in decreased job satisfaction.
According to Brandon Hall Group, companies that have established a robust onboarding process see an 82% improvement in new hire retention and more than 70% improvement in productivity. Most importantly, when onboarding is done well, workers stay with companies longer.
2. Employees Want Flexible Work Options
Remote work is one of the most desired benefits for job seekers. A Gallup poll found that nearly 33% of American employees would change jobs for more flexible work. To attract and retain good workers, more and more businesses are offering telecommuting as an option. But this arrangement comes with challenges.
It’s important to formalize the remote worker arrangement with an established policy. Your policy should specify which positions are eligible for telework and explain the qualifications. Address scheduling requirements when employees are expected to work. Other items to cover: What equipment will be provided? How will productivity be measured? How do workers access tech support?
Employees aren’t the only ones who benefit from remote work. Employers do, too. Cost effectiveness and increased productivity are commonly reported. But it’s essential to have guidelines in place to establish protocols.
Monitoring the evolving nature of today’s workplace is critical to success in a competitive marketplace.
3. Businesses Increase Focus on Diversity
Most employers have come to recognize the value of a diverse workforce. Studies show that embracing diversity can directly contribute to a company’s financial success by bringing unique perspectives when solving problems, innovating solutions and making decisions.
But hiring a diverse team is only the first step. To reap the many benefits of diversity, employers must foster an environment that makes every employee feel respected and included. The most important factor is to create an environment that encourages transparency and honesty so you can have the difficult conversations.
Training that outlines the elements of diversity and how they affect the workplace is also critical. A diversity and inclusion training program will help prevent discrimination and reduce the chance of harassment claims. And your staff will learn to recognize stereotypes and resolve workplace conflict.
4. Employee Training Is a Key Advantage
Speaking of training, employee development can help businesses succeed, increase employee engagement and keep good workers. Allowing employees to gain new skills – or strengthen existing ones – is a win-win.
Of course, training can be difficult if you have a mix of remote and on-site employees. Online, self-paced programs are a solid solution. Online training is cost-effective, and workers can complete programs as they fit into their schedule.
5. Employers Invest in Engagement
With the worker shortage, employers need to make employees feel connected to the company and keep them motivated. As previously mentioned, workers today want more flexibility so many businesses are offering work-from-home options or flexible scheduling.
Others are implementing wellness programs to promote good health. One survey reported that 85% of companies say wellness programs support employee engagement. And approximately 42% of the respondents reported that their top reason for implementing a wellness program was to improve employee engagement.
And don’t forget about traditional motivational items like anniversary cards and awards. These proven products can make employees feel recognized and appreciated.
