New Workplace Trends

November 13, 2013

Forbes recently published a list of the top ten workplace trends of 2013. The list is compelling, interesting, and worth taking a look at in order to learn more about the current job market! Here are the top ten workplace trends of 2013:

1. Millenials will rise up.
The influx of younger workers (and the retirement of many boomers) will cause a lot of new changes within companies as a “new life” will be breathed in and policies will change.

2. Working from home becomes mainstream.
Companies are beginning to realize that allowing employees the flexibility that comes with working from home is incredibly cost-effective. That trend will continue as more and more companies will begin to acknowledge it.

3. Emphasis on employee engagement.
Keeping employees engaged means a lower turnover rate, which can save thousands (if not millions) of dollars. Companies will begin to focus more on keeping their employees engaged.

4. More boomers retire.
It’s approaching time for most baby boomers to retire and leave the workplace, freeing up positions for the younger Gen X and Gen Y workers.

5. Intrapreneurship is embraced.
In order to compete with start-ups, companies are embracing the entrepreneurial spirit within an organization and more and more big names are starting to recognize and allow their employees the opportunity to pitch their business ideas.

6. Freelance nation booms.
Instead of focusing on full-time workers (which are more costly to maintain with benefits packages and less flexible with workload changes), companies are moving towards hiring experts to work on specific problems.

7. The skills gap shrinks.
As more and more people realize that they need a specific skill set to get a job, more and more programs will pop up to meet this need, thus shrinking the skills gap that presently exists within the job market.

8. Internal hiring takes off.
Great for current employees, not-so-great for external job-seekers, it seems as though companies are increasingly hiring from within the corporate structure. Why? It saves them money and is good for employee morale, reducing turnover rates.

9. Employees become social advocates.
More and more, companies are starting to rely on their own employees to serve as their centers of advertising. Not only is it a money-saving operation, but employees can serve as “ambassadors” and really connect with the market in a more personal way that traditional advertisements cannot.

10. Women start to outpace men at work.
One billion women are slated to enter the workforce in the next decade. These women are increasingly more educated than men and are looking to obtain many more leadership positions in the years to come.

For a more in-depth look at these trends, read the article here! If you’re ready to enter to enter the workforce, new industry, or new position, contact us today!