Top Ten Work Trends Quarterly Updates

A diverse group of SIOP members are serving as Trend Champions for the people-related work trends that SIOP members collaboratively predicted to be the most impactful in 2023. Each Trend Champion has expertise in and professional passion for their trend subject. SIOP appreciates their service to the profession in providing quarterly updates on their chosen topics.

Find the full list of topics and links to the other Top 10 Work Trends here. 

Trend #2: Best Practices for Managing a Hybrid Workforce

2023 1st Quarter Update

As employers are transitioning away from remote work and onsite policies, the necessity to sustain a hybrid work environment is increasingly on the rise. In the first quarter of 2023, the need for employers to prioritize best practices for the hybrid approach has been a trending discussion surfacing within the workplace. A major concern of employees is to determine the best feasible approach to embrace hybrid work.

A newly published study addressed the future of hybrid work and how organizations are implementing and supporting sustainable hybrid work post-Pandemic. The study’s outcomes revealed that information and communications technology (ICT), as indicated by five key pillars: operations, culture, communication, and well-being solutions, were the best practices for supporting hybrid work arrangements. Under the operational pillar, employers are encouraged to introduce software tools (hoteling apps) to book workstations and (Monday, Trello, and Microsoft OneDrive) for effective workflow management.

The Wall Street Journal notes how Architects and Real Estate Developers are engineering innovative workspace and collaboration areas to fit the “work style” of the diverse work environment. An example is the newly open-air spaces and atrium-style area with a staircase that will function as an auditorium for town halls at Marriott International.

With the need to improve team culture, employers need to introduce tools such as Fond, Nectar, VIDIA OMNIVERSE, and Microsoft Mesh, to build connection, trust and foster a sense of psychological safety among employees. Hence, communication tools such as Virtual Reality (VR), Miro, and Mural were encouraged for better collaboration and virtual experience as the workplace is transitioning into a more metaverse environment. Employee well-being was also a major priority and employers were encouraged to administer well-being surveys, artificial intelligence, mediation, and exercises to monitor the overall physical, mental, and emotional state of employees.

With this hybrid work approach, more employees will have more preference and given impendence to choose between remote or hybrid work to suit their individual “workstyle”. The need for employers to implement the various ICT pillars will help employees adapt to the growing change of the new workforce dynamic.