2024 Employment Trends?
SO WHAT WILL BE THE EMPLOYMENT TRENDS IN 2024?
No one can predict the future. And it is more uncertain in employment law, based upon changes in law, politics and a host of other factors.
However, a January 3, 2024 article by the Society of Human Resource Management makes some predictions. Trends HR Should Be Ready For in 2024.
The article begins by stating the causes for such things as The Great Resignation, the Gray Resignation, the Great Regret, The Big Stay, quiet quitting, quiet firing (not sure what some of these things are), have been due to: “the erratic pressures and polycrises of global wars, labor strikes, technology disruption, stock market and interest rate gyrations, political turmoil, gun violence, immigration, climate change and so many other societal issues pervade the workplace.”
I think they forgot family tensions during holidays.
The article’s statement that “2024 will develop into a year focused on talent, from talent acquisition and talent management to talent development” strikes me as no different than other years for employers.
The article then focuses on Gen Y Milllenials (born 1981-1996) and Gen Z Zoomers (born 1997-2012) and attempts to describe some their goals, such as “corporate social responsibility and environmentalism, an ethical employer, meaningful work and a management team that cares about them personally.”
The article then states that for employers to come across “tone deaf, out of touch or otherwise apathetic towards workers’ needs can harm your organization’s reputation irreparably,” as union organizers have known for decades.
“Gen Z Zoomers are the youngest generational cohort in the workplace and identify as the loneliest, most isolated and most depressed generation on the planet due to the social limitations of technology. Reports of depression, anxiety and even suicidal ideations run high among this group, necessitating the need for mental wellness and mindfulness benefits.”
In law school, attorneys are taught to read in a discrimination manner, meaning, look for support or foundation for bold statements made in a factual manner.
Other predictions from the article:
- Remote work is here to stay;
- Compliance to laws and regulations governing the workplace will remain at the top of HR’s priority list;
- The future of work will revolve around technological advances, such as AI, quantum computing, cognitive technology, machine learning and robotic-process automation.
The article predicts that AI will “minimize unconscious and implicit bias,” a statement that I question. Will employers resort to AI to defend against discrimination claims by employees?
How will the courts entertain, accept or even process such arguments and claims, since the courts have notoriously languish behind the science of any new endeavor?
Time will tell whether such predictions emerge.
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