Top 10 Workplace Trends In 2017

The following are the top workplace trends to look forward to in the coming year. Whether you are a job seeker, an employer, an HR manager, a recruiting agent, a business owner or an employee these trends will impact your work environment.

1. Companies to lay more emphasis on boosting employee experience-
Companies are focusing more on shaping employee experience to increase productivity and increase profits. The workspaces are being improved. Companies have started focusing on the work environment and adopting new modern approaches. Human Resource department is investing more in training. New training and development programs are being designed every year. New reward policies are coming up to satisfy the hard working employees. All these are important to retain the employees in the organization and thus reducing the cost incurred by the company due to turnover.
2. Increase talent pool-
Creating and maintaining a large talent pool is what organizations are looking forward to. Shaping candidate experience plays a key role in increasing the talent pool. When employers don't notify candidates of their application status, they are discouraged from ever applying for another job at that company again, which limits their future talent pool. Furthermore, a bad candidate experience can turn away customers who may be your candidates, thus resulting in a loss of potential revenue. Just as there is the potential for many previous applicants to fit any number of roles within the organization, organizations also have a huge pool of current applicants that should be considered for both current and future roles.
3. Frequent performance reviews-
The annual performance review is coming to an end on a global scale. Employees are impatient to wait for a year to know their strengths and weaknesses. Instant feedback is what one needs in this fast moving world. Two of the largest companies in the world, including GE and Adobe, have already abolished their annual review process in exchange for regular feedback. Organizations are adopting daily, weekly and monthly online feedback systems.
4. Freelancers will soar to a greater height-
Companies are hiring more freelancers to come together and work with their existing employees. People are signing up with various online platforms every day looking for a freelance job. Multiple studies from The Freelancer’s Union to Intuit predict that at least 40 percent of the workforce will be freelancers in the next few years.
5. Workplace culture is becoming more casual-
Fifty percent of managers say that employees wear less formal clothing than they did five years ago and nearly one-third would prefer to be at a company with a business casual dress code. Employees want ease and comfort at work. The work environment is becoming more friendly and understanding. This trend will continue where employees will demand a more casual work space.
6. HR functions will shift online-
Human resource managers are constantly looking forward to cutting down the costs using online portals, applications, and software. There are various training and development programs and workshops which are conducted online by organizations for their employees. Accenture is one company that has reconfigured learning and development to lean less on campus-based classes and more on on-demand, customized training on topics employees can choose.
7. Online recruitment maximization-
Organizations are tying up online recruitment agencies in the hunt for new talent. Employers want a more refined pool of candidates which will be apt for their organization. It is easier to find the specific skills in a candidate through an online platform. Employers want to save time as well as the cost for the recruitment process every year. Therefore, organizations are going for online recruitment.
8. More focus on employee’s physical and mental health-
Employee health is becoming a critical employee benefit for attracting top talent. Organizations realize that work stress is becoming more prominent and causing absenteeism. Now, the technology has gotten better, wearable has moved beyond employee fitness programs and wellness. Organizations also are adopting them to track productivity and as the 'emergency devices' to help employees stay safe on the road. Organizations are investing in annual health programs and wellness programs for the betterment of the employee’s health.
9. Skilled IT professionals will rise-
Information technology sector has grown in these several years and will continue to grow. With the increased use of technology in all levels of organizations skilled IT professionals are in demand. Technology plays a vital role in today’s business world. Software engineers are in demand everywhere, from high-tech companies to everyday organizations needing custom software to serve their own customers and employees. Cloud computing is trending nowadays.
10. Creative employee benefit packages and bonus-
Employees want incentives and bonus along with recognition for their efforts and hard work. Organizations are focusing on keeping employees happy through additional benefits along with the basic salary. Fair compensation is most important to all age groups, genders and ethnicities almost unanimously around the world. Companies want to attract the most talented employees and giving them a hefty package along with extra benefits will help them do so.