Workplace Trends Forecast For 2023

A new year means new opportunities and a fresh outlook on our careers. Whether we’ve set a new years resolution to strive for that promotion or try something new altogether, it’s a chance to evaluate what you want to achieve on an individual level. Over the last year in particular, there has been a noticeable shift in workplace behaviours and a range of trends that have come with them. From ‘The Great Resignation’, ’Quite and Loud Quitting’, to ‘Career Cushioning’, and ‘Flexi-Retirement’ it’s been hard to keep up!

The remnants of the COVID-19 pandemic still remain with us almost three years on. Flexible and hybrid working is more popular than ever and employees are truly exercising their work-life balance. On top of that, there’s also a cost-of-living crisis on our hands, soaring inflation and interest rates and plenty of strike action where workers are demanding more. So what does 2023 look like for the jobs market, employers looking to recruit and what trends are forecast on the horizon?

Firstly, remote working is set to stay. Since the start of the pandemic searches for WFH opportunities rose by 674% and in the last year alone jobs in the UK offering working-from-home opportunities increased by 274%. It’s important for companies to consider this option when advertising a role as it opens up the pool of potential employees who have great skills to offer without the hassle of moving location. This also puts less pressure on the recruitment process and staff are generally happier with this arrangement.

One thing that 2022 taught us is that there was certainly a demand for employees. ‘The Great Resignation’ demonstrated that individuals were looking for more in their personal goals and searched elsewhere for a better deal. There was also a shortage of workers which saw companies struggling to keep the workforce going. Looking ahead to 2023 these hiring challenges will remain, particularly as the population ages the UK workforce will become smaller and there is a post-pandemic participation gap with long-term sickness.

When recruiting for a new position, an attractive salary is no longer justifiable when attracting great talent. It’s also what you have on offer in terms of benefits to keep hold of new recruits and keep people within your team loyal to the company. Employees want more from their jobs these days, whether that’s free or subsidised private healthcare, gym memberships, complimentary lunches and the like. What makes your organisation stand out compared to your competition?

For younger workers, a 2022 study by the website Glassdoor showed that diversity and inclusion policies are more important to them than any other age group. This year will see more Gen Z workers entering the market and they’re advocates for DE&I within the workplace. It’s important that your policy hits the mark and meets employee satisfaction.

Finally, employee satisfaction is an important factor. Last year demonstrated how workers stood up for themselves by pushing for more rights and benefits, taking strike action, or quitting altogether for a better future. Employee retention is a vital factor for companies across every sector. It’s simple, if an employee is happy in the workplace then they are less likely to look elsewhere. The well-being of a team is vital, and that’s why processes such as mental health and employee assistance or anonymous satisfaction surveys should be carried out so that the organisation as a whole can improve for the better.

As we said goodbye to 2022, many looked ahead to the next 12 months with caution and others with optimism. The careers market will thrive as employers take even more steps to keep workforces happy, and more opportunities open up for individuals to thrive.

At Omega, we work with candidates and clients locally and nationwide alike to build meaningful careers for a wide variety of positions on either a temporary, contract or permanent basis. We work in the Engineering, Aerospace, Automotive, Electronics, Defence, Scientific, Oil & Gas, Logistics and Manufacturing sectors. Speak to our team on 01453 827333 to see how we can help you or visit our website to view our latest opportunities.