As we near 2024, trends that have impacted the workforce this year continue to develop — shaped by the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and changes to employee’s overall expectations and demands from their employers.
A recent article published by Gallup highlighted six unique trends that leaders should look out for in 2024 to adapt effectively.
Impactful trends for 2024 include:
- “Global Worker Stress Remains at a Record High”
- “Engagement Is Slowly Recovering, With Some Areas for Improvement”
- “Leaders Are Restoring Trust Yet have Much Room for Improvement”
- “Managers Are Getting Squeezed”
- “Organizations Need a Long-Term Hybrid Work Strategy”
- “Hybrid Culture Can be Great – If Done Right”
One concerning trend cited is the decline in employee trust in leadership, which has occurred alongside the dip in employee engagement.
According to the data, only 21% of U.S. employees strongly agree that they trust their organization’s leadership, a decrease from 24% in 2019. The decline in trust and confidence in leadership is particularly alarming for managers, as it directly impacts employee morale and overall productivity within businesses.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought about major changes in how leaders communicated with their teams, and it’s reported by Gallup that this change initially led to a spike in employee engagement. 55% of employees strongly agreed that their leaders communicated a clear plan in response to COVID-19. However, as the pandemic subsided, so did the perceived quality of communication from leadership — with only 22% of employees strongly agreeing that their leaders communicated a clear post-pandemic plan of action by mid-2022.
This decline in effective communication coincides with a decrease in employees who knew what is expected of them at work, which also reached a record low in 2022.
To rebuild trust and drive performance, leaders should focus on clear and consistent communication. According to Gallup, this involves establishing a vision, setting clear expectations, and establishing priorities.
