The New Year is here and with it come expert’s predictions for workplace trends in 2018. Stop grasping the mouse. So far, it all appears … positive.
At Forbes magazine the staff there has been making workplace trend predictions since 2013 by conducting global surveys and interviewing hundreds of workers and executives. Of their top ten, our favorite predictions are:
Financial help with student loans: Forbes reports that 78 percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck and student loan debt is at $1.4 trillion. That makes for some pretty stressed out workers. The magazine reports that nearly half of employees have financial concerns that has caused them to lose an average of six work days annually. As a result more employers are helping their employees pay back student loans.
Mental health will be a priority: Forbes also reports that mental health issues like depression can cause employees to miss five days of work annually, but more importantly they may have 11.5 days of reduced productivity every three months, resulting in $17 to $44 billion lost. Forward thinking companies are now stepping forward to help employees get the healthcare they need. Some have even provided 24/7 access to counseling.
The Bureau of Labor and Statistics also does an annual year-end roundup of where they think U.S. jobs will peak and fall in the New Year. In 2018 Baby Boomers are still not heading home to retire. The bureau predicts that while this group, now all aged 55 and above will continue to work their aging will “dramatically lower the overall labor force participation rate and the growth of the labor force.” What that means is that this aging population will still be competing for jobs in the workplace but overall the growth of the number of employees in the workplace will slow.
The unemployment rate will continue to decline and if you want to head into the hottest fields for 2018, look to healthcare, personal care, social assistance and construction when you are considering paths of study.
At Small Business Trends.com predictions there for 2018 also look more at easing employees’ stress levels. Work/life balance trends will change, giving employees the opportunity to change schedules and social and work interaction to fit their lifestyle.
Don’t like the device the office has provided you? May not matter in 2018. Small Business Trends.com predicts that small businesses will allow employees to use their own devices for company business. And even though the use of technology will increase in 2018, Small Business Trends.com also predicts companies will stress face time over screen time between employees for collaboration, brainstorming and social interaction.
Want to read more workplace trend predictions for 2018? Please visit:
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/12/2018-workplace-trends.html
