Is Your Business Trending in the Right Direction?

The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) has released their annual report. Below is a brief summary of their top five work trends. Is your organization up to speed on these leading workplace topics?

1. Remote work and flexible working arrangements.

Looks like working remotely and flexible work arrangements are here to stay.  A company’s ability to pivot to a more fluid work environment is becoming even more important. Developing new business practices to accommodate remote workers remains at the top of the list.

2. Employee health, well-being, wellness, and safety.

Being healthy is a top priority again this year. Companies are listening to their employees and offering more wellness programs. Managing stress is a leading concern. Workplace safety and a healthy, focused workforce help to keep costs down and morale high.

3. Implementing strategies and measuring progress on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belongingness (DEI&B).

HR departments continue to be focused on these topics. Diversity, equality, and inclusion cannot be stressed enough. Strides in the analysis of employee data allow for a better understanding of where companies are succeeding in these areas and where they are falling short. Making these findings readily available to key stakeholders is a high priority.

4. Inclusive practices to get, keep and grow talent.

Retaining talent and growing talent within house is top of mind. Having the right employees and talents in your organization can make or break a company. Diversity and acceptance in the workplace are key. Valued employees are less likely to leave.

5. Social justice.

Social justice and equality ensure equal rights and access to employment opportunities. Programs around social responsibility aren’t new, but more businesses are realizing the need to facilitate an equitable environment. Now, more than ever, the spotlight is being aimed at social justice.

It’s no surprise that a healthy, diverse and valued workforce is the goal.  

Evaluate your organization. Understand where you fall short. Don’t be afraid to spend the time and money to implement the necessary training and talent recruitment to meet those goals.

References

Stark, Amber. (2021, Jan 20) Top Ten Work Trends for 2021. SIOP.