The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) is pleased to announce its seventh annual Top 10 Workplace Trends list. Based on member surveys, these are the issues that will have the most impact on the workplace in 2020. 

For the first time, there is a tie between two of the topics; at #9 on the list – “Virtual working spaces” and ”Meaning and purposeful work.” Newly trending topics include workforce health and well-being, and meaning and purposeful work. The entries in SIOP’s Top 10 list are broad, complex issues posing difficult challenges to the business world and modern society, so it’s no surprise that many other trends have appeared on previous lists. 

Industrial-organizational psychologists study workplace issues of critical relevance to business, including talent management, coaching, assessment, selection, training, organizational development, performance, and work–life balance. I-O psychologists can help all kinds of organizations, including for-profit, nonprofit and government, grappling with these issues find solutions that are right for their organizations and their staff.

To create this list, SIOP asked its members for their predictions based on their expertise as well as interactions with clients and colleagues. After the responses were compiled, members selected the top 10 issues organizations are likely to face in 2020. Nearly 1,000 members responded, and here’s what they had to say:

The SIOP 2020 Annual Conference officially begins with Opening Plenary on Thursday, April 23. However, you can jump start your learning and networking by attending one of the many preconference events on Wednesday!

ATLANTA, GA – January 22, 2020 – Since 2010, the Elizabeth Hurlock Beckman Award Trust has awarded $2.5 million to 104 professors from throughout the United States; each nominated by a former student or students. The Elizabeth Hurlock Beckman Trust Award honors current or former academic faculty who, as teachers, inspired a student to establish an organization which demonstrated a significant benefit on a community at large or inspired a student to establish a concept, procedure, or movement of comparable benefit to a community. Every Beckman Award winner receive a one-time cash award of $25,000 and recognition during an award ceremony in Fall 2020 in Atlanta, GA. Nominations are made by a former student(s) as a means to honor the academic faculty member who inspired that student’s work. Preference is given to educators who teach or who taught in the fields of psychology, medicine, or law.

​Last year an estimated 450 people participated in the epic 2019 SIOP ML competition. The winning teams emerged as Walmart, BGSU, Michigan State, and USAA.

This year is a fresh start and a fresh chance for teams to compete and change our field for the better. The goal of this year’s competition is creating and tuning AI systems for both fairness and utility in hiring.