The beginning of 2024 has been marked by the publication of a multitude of studies and reports on the major trends in human dynamics for the coming year. iQo offers you its decryption of the key phenomena in human dynamics. human dynamics to keep your organization running smoothly.
Contents
1. Hybrid cultivation: an asset not to be overlooked
Since the pandemic, hybrid hybrid working has become the norm, and employees are settled into this routine and attached to its benefits. Many workers now consider going to the office every day too "costly" (in terms of time, energy and money). As a result, the back-to-work strategies recently put in place by many employers are meeting with reluctance, and undermining the attraction and retention of talent.
Yet studies show that hybrid workers are the most committed employees and the least prone to turnover.
- 35% of hybrid workers feel strongly connected to their company's mission and objectives.
- This figure drops to 28% for total telecommuters and 33% for on-site employees (source: Gallup, December 2023).
To optimize the benefits of teleworking, it is therefore key for companies in 2024 to put in place a long-term hybrid strategy with a clear framework and adapted to the new uses of teams.
Hybrid working highlights the fundamentals of management. It's not necessary to implement "hybrid" management, but it is essential to manage your teams by respecting the essentials of good management. These essentials include clear objectives, qualified feedback and support for employees in achieving their goals.
2. Artificial intelligence: investing to reap the full benefits
After a "honeymoon" period when the the arrival of AI into the world of work, a phase of disillusionment is about to begin over the next 3 to 5 years. Investment will be needed to properly incorporate AI into the workplace, thanks to 4 key levers.
- Establishing rules and training employees: The risks associated with AI are becoming clearer: leakage of confidential information and risks associated with the quality of work provided by AI, which is not infallible. To avoid painful consequences, clear rules and employee training are becoming essential.
- Communicate: In response to the rise of AI in organizations, almost a quarter of employees fear that it will replace their jobs within 5 years. But studies show that, in the medium term, AI will create more opportunities than it destroys, by creating new jobs and optimizing employees' skills. So it's key for companies to assess and communicate how AI will affect jobs and business organization, in order to build employee confidence.
- Experiment: To discover new ways of working and optimize workers' skills, it's crucial to encourage them to experiment with these new tools in a supportive environment.
- Preserving the human element: We need to cultivate the intrinsically human abilities (empathy, curiosity, imagination, etc.) that technologies cannot supplant, and to give them more space in the workplace, so as not to sideline these essential skills.
3. Employee stress: an urgent issue for 2024
Employee stress has reached an all-time high since the pandemic. Indeed, 44% of employees surveyed said they had felt very stressed the day before returning to work (source: Gallup, December 2023).
This has a negative impact on employees' well-being, both professionally and personally, affecting their productivity and making them more likely to resign. Managers are the category of employees most affected by this phenomenon, and are therefore the most prone to burnout and turnover.
To remedy this problem and limit the damage it can do to your organization, training and supporting your managers in the face of their growing responsibilities is key in 2024.
Human sustainability?
At the global level of your company, "human sustainability" is an essential lever. It's about creating value for your employees beyond the strictly professional sphere (health, well-being, sense of belonging, etc.).
More than a simple foosball gadget, it's measures such as employability-enhancing training, housing and health programs that help employees to develop a long-term sense of well-being. This in turn contributes to improving your teams' productivity and loyalty.
4. Attracting and retaining talent: new solutions on the horizon
Faced with the difficulties of attracting and retaining talent, new levers for action are emerging.
Recruiting for skills first
To remedy the talent shortage, more and more companies are moving away from diploma-based recruitment to skills-based recruitment, providing access to a wider pool of talent, including profiles qualified through alternative channels.
For example, you might choose to recruit a coding enthusiast who is retraining for a new career, rather than a Berkeley graduate, or a former military officer who has managed teams in the field, rather than a business school graduate. Rather than simply recruiting, it is now key to train, just as Google offers its catalog of certifications to the public.
At iQo, we believe in the hybridization of skills, offering our talented staff training courses leading to certification with Paris-Dauphine University and the Albert School.
Offer new benefits to employees
Another avenue is the emergence of new employee benefits. Indeed, more and more talented people are calling for innovative benefits such as
- the 4-day week,
- measures to protect against climate change,
- sharing the "costs of work" (child and pet care options, housing subsidies and grants for family carers, etc.).
Offering such benefits sets us apart from the competition and helps us to meet the new expectations of talented people.
5. HR and DEI policies: more business interaction
HR functions and I&E policies, which are human in nature, are particularly in need of adaptation to the new world of work. To better align themselves with employees' needs and expectations, they need to move from a silo structure to a cross-functional, company-wide model.
This reorganization will enable the IED to perform more effectively, by integrating it fully into the company's long-term culture. As a result, IED is no longer a top-down policy, but a horizontal mode of operation. In the same way, decompartmentalizing HR enables it to be better integrated into multiple employee communities. Extending responsibility for human resources issues to all employees, beyond the traditional HR teams, enables us to take a multi-disciplinary approach to them, optimizing management and adapting it to the needs and practices of each team, while benefiting from HR expertise on human resources issues in the broadest sense.
For example, the HR department can work closely with the IT department to promote digital transformation and integrate it into all areas of an organization. This approach places HR teams in a position of coaching operational staff, rather than simply delegating certain tasks to them without any in-depth support.
How can iQo help you meet the new needs of human dynamics?
Would you like to implement these changes in your company?
Expert in human support for complex business transformations, iQo's Human Dynamics team Human Dynamics team can advise you on your project.
To find out more about our expertise and to discuss your issues, don't hesitate to contact us !
Human dynamics
Aurélie SIMON
iQo Associate
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Christelle TENEVEAU
Senior Manager iQo
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