The Future Of Work: 7 Workplace Trends Shaping The Way We Work In 2023

By Author: UrSpayce
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Companies invest as much in short-term revenue and business goals as in long-term prospects. This is to predict, understand and adapt to changes and stay relevant — which is why the “future of work” is one of the most discussed topics in every boardroom today.

The future of work is the holistic outlook to identify the paradigm shifts in how work will be perceived and done in the coming days, what the workforce may evolve into, and how companies can avoid the pitfalls of short-sightedness. It's particularly important because disruptive technologies have already started widening skill gaps, and employees are rethinking how their work fits into their life instead of vice versa.

As we move towards flexible workplaces championed by millennial and Gen Z employees, businesses need to focus on developing what Gartner calls “human-centric work environments” to hit productivity KPIs.

In this article, we will take a look at 7 workplace trends that are redefining the way we work.

7 workplace trends shaping the way we work
1. Remote/ Hybrid work
“Ten years ago, remote employment basically ...
... meant a…position at below minimum wage…Now, technology affords us the ability to get the same job done, no matter where in the world we are”, says Samantha Lambert, director of human resources at Scientific.

McKinsey found that 58% of US employees have the option to work from home for the entire week or a part of it. This data reflects a major shift in the corporate world as well as in society.

Availability of remote-work option
Here’s how some of the best tech companies are implementing hybrid work:

HubSpot has devised a flexible model where employees can choose how they want to work: exclusively work from home, work from the office three or more times a week, or hybrid work (working on-site for two days or less in a week).
Salesforce offers a flexible model where employees can work for 1-3 days from the office, go fully remote, or work from home full-time.
Airbnb’s Live and Work Anywhere policy allows employees to work from home, office, or any of the designated 170+ countries.
2. Use of technology in workplace design
Technology, which is an essential component of workplace design, is not just limited to collaboration tools, rather, it includes a wide variety of work-related technologies, such as integrated workplace management systems (IWMS).

Using a workplace management system like UrSpayce, you can ensure remote booking of rooms and desks, manage to park, keep track of visitors and package deliveries, maintain a directory of all contact details, and streamline communication across teams. When you offer a flexible, human-centric work environment, your organization is 3.8 times more likely to see high employee performance.

3. New methods of attracting talent post the Great Resignation
At a time when the voluntary quit rate is higher by 25% than the pre-pandemic times, the traditional methods of attracting new talent are no longer relevant.

Here are some new methods businesses are using to attract new talent:

Emphasizing paid time off, stock options, retirement plans, and bonuses.
Offering flexible and remote work options.
Offering training courses and mentorship programs.
Investing in employee recognition plans by offering rewards like gift cards and experiences.
Prioritizing inclusivity at the workplace.
A case in point of a great workplace trend is Airbnb’s culture. The company offers a $2000 annual stipend, up to 10 weeks of parental leave, online mental health consultations, learning and development programs, and three to four weeks of paid time off, among other perks.

4. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives
“While race and gender tend to be the biggest focuses to create authentic inclusion, organizations must include all perspectives, including LGBTQIA employees, disabled employees, and neurodivergent employees,” says Jess Green, SVP of Customer Success at Lever.

A diverse workforce brings innovation, attracts top talent, and improves performance. What makes DEI initiatives a workplace trend that cannot be ignored by organizations anymore?

Innovation: Businesses that embrace diversity can leverage the unique perspectives and experiences of their employees. This will help them come up with fresh and innovative ideas.
Attracting top talent: Inclusive workplaces appeal to potential employees. So having an impactful DEI strategy allows companies to attract and retain the best talent.
Improving performance: When employees are working in a safe and happy environment, it boosts productivity and performance.
Leaders of today are focused on creating a holistic DEI strategy that encompasses all aspects of the organization. This comprehensive approach includes the following:

Addressing the needs and perspectives of people from different backgrounds
Examining and modifying processes to ensure they are equitable
Introducing programs that support a diverse workforce
Establishing policies that foster a welcoming environment for all.
5 Factors
A McKinsey study dives into some companies that have successfully championed this cause.

Walmart found that its frontline workers (which includes 39% as Black or Hispanic/Latino) were unable to secure higher-paying roles within the company because of a lack of skills or academic degrees. To address this, Walmart started a free education initiative to upskill its employees. After implementing this program, the Black participants were 87.5% more likely to secure a promotion.

Schneider Electric would be another great example. The company developed a global-local pay equity framework (GPE) to reduce pay gaps, and the initiative saw a year-over-year improvement in the pay gap for women.

5. Automation and AI in the workplace
Filip Dvořák, the CEO, and founder of Filuta AI, notes, “Intelligent automation is growing into an enormous $1T in 2026. Many areas will benefit from AI, such as customer experience personalization, predictive maintenance, or career management.”

Often compared to the Industrial Revolution, the boom of AI may lead to the loss of entry-level, low-stake jobs, but in the long run, it will create a big pool of new opportunities. According to a PwC study, by 2030, AI will lead to a 26% boost in GDP for local economies.

Organizations are using AI and automation to improve various aspects of their business and automate mundane and time-consuming tasks.

Sizing the Prize
Duolingo saw a 67% decrease in median code turnaround time after adopting GitHub Co-Pilot.
Chipotle’s kitchen management system uses AI and machine learning to monitor ingredient levels and inform the kitchen crew how much to prep. It increases efficiency in the kitchen and reduces food wastage.
Hubspot’s conversational CRM bot ChatSpot allows users to maximize their productivity. The bot is designed to eliminate the need for manual data entry, send follow-up emails, pull reports, and more.
Stanford Health Care has streamlined the candidate journey with its AI chatbot. It offers relevant job matches, simplifies the application process, and ensures that recruiters and applicants can communicate through the CRM seamlessly.
Successful implementation of AI will reduce workload and offer employees more time to engage in meaningful, analytical, and intuitive tasks that AI cannot perform alone. The future of work is all about building a collaborative relationship with AI.

6. Retention through upskilling
"Companies are thinking about how they can take high-performing employees and move them into positions where they need them more, so thinking about upskilling programs as part of an internal mobility strategy is really important," says Kohn, research director at Gartner HR.

64% of employees are likely to leave their employer because of a lack of skill development opportunities—keeping this in mind, employers are investing in training and upskilling their employees.

For instance, as part of their Upskilling 2025 pledge, Amazon announced investing $1.2 billion in employee education and skill training programs, which include college tuition for front-line workers. This program supports Amazon employees to move into higher-paying positions within and outside the company.

How can HR leaders help employees upskill and promote retention?

Offer employees a dedicated time frame during working hours to upskill themselves.
Provide access to paid learning programs.
Encourage an atmosphere of learning and growing by organizing seminars, workshops, and training programs dedicated to skill development.
Flip the equation
7. Exponential rise of cyberattacks
What makes stringent measures against cyberattacks a critical workplace trend in 2023? For starters, complex encryption codes keep the cyber economy safe, but by 2030, quantum computers will potentially be capable of cracking these codes.

With the global average cost of data breaches hitting $4.35 million in 2022, businesses need to research new cybersecurity approaches and understand the factors at work behind the increase in security threats.

Here are a few measures organizations are implementing to combat cyberattacks:

Implementing an integrated workplace management system with enterprise-grade security
Educating employees about the latest cyber threats and ways to stay safe
Reducing data footprint by deleting unnecessary data
Using extended detection and response (XDR) and endpoint detection and response (EDR) systems to automate response to common cyber attacks
Backing up vital data frequently to avoid data loss
Restricting admin access to a limited number of employees
Regularly updating applications to reduce vulnerability
Investing in a highly skilled cybersecurity workforce
Hiring a third-party cybersecurity company to perform a security audit
Final Thoughts
Workplaces today look vastly different from what they did a few years ago, and they'll continue to change with the shifting demands of the employees. Companies that coalesce new workplace trends, technology, business goals, and empathy will be able to step into the future of work with a competitive edge.

You can do that by using an Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS) such as UrSpayce to gain day-to-day visibility into your workplace, prioritize employee well-being to foster loyalty, and integrate frictionless services such as automation to improve productivity.