According to Gartner, organisations must act now to capitalise on positive employee developments next year. Aaron McEwan, VP Research & Advisory, Gartner, shares the top five Australian workplace trends leaders need to know about for 2024.
Australian workplace trends for 2024
1. The end of the wellbeing crisis
According to Gartner’s Q323 Global Talent Monitor (GTM) survey, overall employee wellness is beginning to stabilise at 29.4 per cent. This indicates that the wellbeing crisis faced by Australian employees is easing.
“Over the past 12 months, HR teams have played a significant role in supporting mental health in the workplace. These efforts are starting to pay dividends as employees respond to initiatives implemented to enhance their wellbeing,” says McEwan.
A 2023 Gartner candidate survey shows more than half (56 per cent) believe the experience they have in a role is just as important to their job satisfaction as compensation and benefits.
With this in mind, McEwan recommends organisations continue to prioritise employee wellbeing and shift towards preventative measures that ensure the ongoing safety and support of workers in 2024.
2. Embracing Generative AI
According to a recent Gartner survey, 39 per cent of HR leaders believe their workforces will experience disruption in the next two to five years through the adoption of generative AI as organisations move beyond investigating what is possible with the technology to how they will effectively use it.
“Accelerated investment cycles in generative AI, combined with pre-existing labour market shifts, have renewed debate on the future workforce in Australia — which jobs and roles are at risk and what to do about it,” says McEwan.
“Next year, leaders will shift focus towards making work more manageable to augment their workforces rather than replace them. The aim will be to reduce resource-intensive processes, eliminate mundane tasks and reimagine employees’ relationship with their work to make them more productive.”
In 2024, McEwan recommends leaders understand the value of generative AI — and AI technologies more broadly — to appreciate its use cases and its effects on HR and the entire workforce.
3. Productive employee monitoring
The Fair Work Commission’s decision to uphold the dismissal of an employee after technology detected misconduct sparked a fury of interest in the rights of employers and employees where workplace monitoring is concerned.
Gartner’s 2023 Employee Perspectives on the Future of Work Survey reveals 67 per cent of employees are more than willing to share their data with their employer if it will contribute to better experiences at work.
“Instead of monitoring employees, leaders should consider how they can use employee data to create a more positive work environment. Gartner research reveals a third of employees would share their personal data if it meant gaining support to find information to complete a task,” says McEwan.
McEwan also warns leaders must be prepared to address negative employee sentiment that is set to rise in the next 12 months:
4. Online action from employees will increase
In an age of radical transparency, the behaviours of Australian employers are under more scrutiny than ever. Collective action from employees, particularly on social media, has escalated significantly.
“There’s an increase in anti-work trends, including the TikTok hashtag #worktok, where employees describe their annoying co-worker’s habits, question management choices and even livestream resignations,” says McEwan.
In 2024, organisations should consider how they make moments of connection to address issues before employees feel the need to share them on social media and potentially do serious long-term damage to their reputation and brand.
5. Focus on performance management
According to Gartner’s 3Q23 GTM survey, only 23.5 per cent of Australian employees are considered to be highly engaged at work, with a meaningful connection to their job.
“The Great Resignation is ending, and many employees are choosing to stay with their current employer for financial stability. A certain level of turnover can be healthy for organisations, but without it, workplaces can face the challenge of managing an unmotivated and disengaged workforce,” says McEwan.
To maintain high levels of discretionary effort in 2024, leaders should prioritise the setting of personal KPIs and objectives to keep individuals and teams motivated.
Source: Gartner top Australian workplace trends for 2024