The Office in 2023: Top Workforce Trends Shaping 2023

Over the past two years, there have been many changes in the way we work. In 2020, the pandemic forced many to work from home, but in 2021 big resignation Workers have shown they are not afraid to jump ship for better opportunities.

While companies are playing a tug-of-war with their employees over return-to-office policies this year, they are also competing for the best tech talent. In particular, employers are finding creative ways to adjust their hiring strategies to attract and retain talent in talent pools that have shrunk over the past two years.

With economic uncertainty looming large into 2023, ZDNET examines how these trends will shape the workplace over the next 12 months.

Retention through skill improvement

In 2023, workers can expect employers to invest more in training and upskilling programs to equip them with the skills they need. Jamie Kohn, his director of research at Gartner HR, says companies should consider upskilling in-house to fill the growing talent shortage.

“Companies are focusing more on their internal labor market and are looking at ways to recruit and position top talent into more needed positions. It’s very important to consider the program, Cohn told ZDNET.

According to Kohn, employees want to learn skills that will help them in their current jobs and careers. Career development and growth opportunities are an integral part of retaining employees, she says. “People want to grow beyond their role. They think about growing throughout their career. , you will lose people.”

Opportunities to learn new skills on the job are very important to employees, with 83% of employees citing improving skills as a top priority for the next year. Recent research by Amazon and Workplace Intelligence.

The same survey found that 74% of employees would be willing to leave their current job due to lack of options for skill building and career mobility.

Also: Employers are fixated on the wrong thing when it comes to tackling skills shortages

Dan Schawbel, Managing Partner at Workplace Intelligence, said:

“Companies that recognize this and offer higher levels of support, from more time for skills development during the workday to better learning benefits and programs, will stay ahead in the ongoing talent war. prize.”

Hybrid and remote work aren’t going anywhere

Despite many companies encouraging employees to return to the office, employees We haven’t given up on hybrid and remote workAnd with a recession that threatens to push the cost of living even higher, workers don’t want to spend extra money About gas, lunch and morning macchiato.

Paul Silverglate, vice chairman of Deloitte’s U.S. technology sector, said companies that haven’t fully embraced remote or hybrid work will cite the recession to justify a return-to-office policy next year. increase. Meanwhile, companies that have embraced new ways of working will find solutions to continue and improve their hybrid and remote work policies.

Conversely, Simon Roderick, managing director of financial services at Fram Search, argued that not all industries would be hit hard by the looming recession, and would be wrong to cancel remote or hybrid work options. suggests there is. Roderick told his ZDNET:

“Not all sectors will be hit by a deep recession, so we recommend not alienating teams by taking away flexibility, but some teams will be, and the economy will generally slow down in 2023. Everyone knows what to do.”

Roderick believes the overarching theme of the workplace in 2023 will be adjusting how employees work remotely. He said remote monitoring of his workers could be enhanced. Allowing Managers to Observe Productivityand management may enforce return-to-office orders in response to the slowdown in business.

“If the three Rs of 2021 and 2022 were retirement, retirement, and relocation, the three Rs of 2023 could be returning to office, recession, and readjustment,” he says. “The world of work has changed a lot since the pandemic, and the good news is that the recession won’t spoil the positive aspects of this change.”

Silverglate believes technology, office redesign, and sustainability will all drive hybrid and remote work in 2023.

“When many people are face-to-face and team members need to be virtual, VR technology can really reduce the perceived gap between the two. “It’s one of the biggest complaints I’ve heard about hybrid teams,” he says.

James Ross, managing director of Hype Partners, agrees that VR will be more integrated into hybrid work to accommodate employees who feel disconnected from their colleagues. “As more people choose the flexibility of working from home, virtual experiences will become essential to improving workplace cohesion and helping employees feel more connected to each other,” he said. told ZDNET.

“A virtual tour of the office on day one? A quick game of mixed reality fencing during lunch break? A team outing at Roblox? We all feel the need to have fun with our colleagues.

Also: Tired of office life?How the Metaverse Will Change Your Future of Work

Ross believes that as the metaverse becomes more concrete, big tech will find ways to participate in this action. Companies like Microsoft, Google, and Samsung are all investing heavily in the VR/MR/XR market, and Ross expects his VR for hybrid work to be a big boom.

“Microsoft has similarly made strides in this area by integrating virtual avatars into its remote work tool, Teams,” he says. “The competition between these big players and Google is likely to reach its peak in 2023, so we expect big changes in this space.”

Many offices are also doing away with cubicles and other traditional layouts as people are now able to complete work from home. Silverglate hints at an office redesign in the next few years. Promote collaboration We will revolutionize the office experience more thoroughly.

“We are already seeing and hearing design firms start working on ways to redesign and repurpose all types of corporate spaces. Collaborate and reduce independent work that can be done remotely.”

While full remote work options have declined slightly over the past year, remote work cannot be completely eliminated in the post-pandemic work environment. More companies are pledging to reduce their carbon footprint, and Silverglate believes these pledges will encourage companies to retain remote work options in the future.

“I don’t think remote work will ever fully return to what it used to be,” he says. “The sustainability component here should not be underestimated. will be an important tool.”

Work-life balance is more important than ever

Hybrid and remote work have offered employees something they didn’t get much of before the pandemic. It’s a better work-life balance.this is usually the first benefit Employees cite when asked why they enjoy working from home.

Working from home allowed employees to designate specific hours for uninterrupted work while still meeting personal obligations. And as returning to the office becomes more mainstream, Cohn believes employees shouldn’t have to worry about where they work, but deciding when and how they work is essential.

Cohn believes that in 2023, employees will pay more attention to how flexible their jobs are. Companies without flexible work schedules risk losing top talent.

“Not many people want to work from home, but having the flexibility to shape work to fit their lives is very important for people,” she says. “If you want to retain employees for the long term, you have to think about how you provide that flexibility.”

Also: Need flexible working or better benefits? Learn how to negotiate with your boss

As the 4-day work week continues, some companies are realizing that a 2-day workweek is a surefire way to provide their employees with a better work-life balance. 4 days a week Don’t threaten worker productivity as deniers claim. It also allows workers to rest and spend more time with their families.

Charlotte Lockhart, Founder and Managing Director of the 4 Day Week Global Foundation, predicts that a four-day work week will become more common in 2023. Working hours will be just as popular next year.

Lockhart points out that the four-day workweek used to be reserved for private companies looking for change. But now local government is also participating and experimenting with shortening the week.US Congressman proposed to shorten the weekly working hoursSolidifying the feeling that short working hours are popular.

“The response we’ve had so far has been from the private sector, but now we’re starting to see local governments and some civil service organizations around the world doing it,” Lockhart said. he told ZDNET.

“In my opinion, we have reached a tipping point where the prevalence of 2023 is going to be very important. of the economy.”