3 key takeaways
- 9 workplace trends in 2024
- How to prepare for the future of the workplace
- What Teal’s AI Resume Builder and Job Application Tracker can do to help shape your career with insights and tools
The modern workplace constantly evolves, influencing how people perceive and manage their careers.
As we step into 2024, it's vital to stay ahead of the curve by understanding and embracing future workplace trends that will help define what career autonomy, adaptability, growth, and success mean.
Whether you're a seasoned professional, recent graduate, job seeker, or career pivoter, harnessing these workplace trends now can help you excel in the future—ensuring you're not just keeping up but setting the pace for your career.
The evolution of workplace trends
Workplace trends are patterns and shifts in how most businesses operate and many employees work. And they’ve typically been reflective of changes in society (for example, the Industrial Revolution or the COVID-19 pandemic).
Initially centered around industrialization with a strong emphasis on structured roles, they've evolved to prioritize efficiency, automation, and global reach (and other elements like mental health, work-life balance, and remote working).
Today, the workplace is heavily characterized by advancements in tech and a shift towards a more dynamic, skill-centered environment. This combination of technological flexibility, employee engagement, and increased autonomy challenges traditional employment models and empowers people to take more control over their career paths.
Understanding this evolution—from industrialization to a tech-centric, skill-focused era ripe with agency and a more prioritized employee experience—sets the stage for the next wave of changes set to redefine your approach to work even further.
9 predicted workplace trends for 2024
The nine modern workplace trends below offer a look at what to expect this year, outlining the new skills, working practices, perspectives, and strategies to thrive in this ever-changing environment.
1. An ownership approach
In 2024, imagine yourself as the CEO of your career.
In this role, you're a brand and a business in your own right. This means actively marketing yourself and showcasing your skills and experiences—just like companies do with their products or services. It's about understanding your value in the job market and communicating it effectively.
In Teal Founder and CEO Dave Fano’s view:
Managing your career should follow a similar philosophy to running a business. Just like any CEO maps out their company's course, you need to chart your professional direction with that same energy and agency.
Adopting a holistic, business-minded approach to your professional life involves strategic planning. Ask yourself: What are my career goals? (Think short-term and long-term.) What are the steps I need to get there?
Once you clearly understand your goals, develop a go-to-market (GTM) strategy to position yourself in the professional landscape. This strategy is your blueprint for approaching job opportunities, networking, and personal branding.
Fano says,
Your career as a business is one worth investing in. Set clear, actionable goals, create a plan, and market yourself. You are in the driver's seat, and no one else can navigate this course but you.
2. Career pathing and agency
Another trend shaping the 2024 workplace is the emphasis on career paths and career agency.
Career pathing involves:
- Taking charge of your career trajectory
- Mapping your path
- Actively working towards your ideal career
You have agency over your career, and it's up to you to understand where you want to go and to make the choices that’ll get you there.
Career paths are no longer linear or predetermined by employers or business leaders. Instead, they're dynamic and self-directed.
As Teal VP of Product and Operations Lara Perlstein highlights,
In our research, we've seen quite an uptick in those looking into career pathing—giving them more agency over their personal and professional growth.
Rather than a traditional or "expected" route, align your journey with personal values, interests, and life goals—identifying potential future roles, understanding the required skills and experiences, and taking steps to bridge any gaps.
Perlstein explains,
People aren't just looking for a job title and settling or relying on employer-designated ladders. Instead, they want to understand how a specific role aligns with their values, interests, and goals. They're actively identifying the skills and experiences needed, researching the trajectory, and creating a roadmap to reflect their unique definition of success and fulfillment.
In this context, agency is about career empowerment. You have the power (and responsibility) to shape your opportunities. This trend reflects a broader shift towards personalization and individualism in the workplace, where success is increasingly defined by your fulfillment and growth rather than titles and salaries.
3. Upskilling as a norm
No longer a luxury but a necessity, upskilling is a personal growth engine, fueling your journey with new skills and knowledge. After all, staying relevant means staying educated.
Customized and on-demand learning platforms (tools like LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, Skillshare, and Masterclass) will likely be the game changers as they help democratize education—allowing people to access tailored learning opportunities regardless of their position, company size, and even financial status.
Leveraging job descriptions for targeted upskilling
Want to identify skills relevant to your field? Consider job descriptions a roadmap to those you need to develop, sharpen, or upskill.
Based on the job requirements of different roles in your field (or field of interest), customize your continuous learning to match these evolving demands.
If you want to streamline this process, Teal's Job Application Tracker highlights the top skills from every job description you save—making it easier to see (and keep track of) what's most in demand.
4. Empowerment and decision-making through data
Whether you're navigating career development, personal growth, or even a job search, leveraging data will be key to making strategic decisions this year.
Rather than relying on guesswork or gut feelings, turning to facts ensures your choices are grounded in reality—sharpening your decision-making skills and aligning your actions with the latest needs of the modern workplace.
Recent research conducted by Teal on how to job search highlights this point.
By analyzing data from 3000+ job seekers to uncover trends and patterns that could guide job search strategies, this study revealed insights like the best time to apply for jobs and how many strategic applications it takes to land one interview.
By understanding these patterns, job seekers are more empowered to make decisions that actually improve how they approach their job hunt based on real insights. This demonstrates the power of data.
5. Continued need for personal branding
This year, personal branding (sometimes called professional branding) is going to be essential to career growth.
As the gateway to many other impactful 2024 workplace trends, it's a catalyst for professional opportunities and the foundation for building a solid network.
Brand Architect Erica Bonser emphasizes:
Thinking about branding is just as important on an individual level as on an organizational or product level. It's the 'what people would say about you' or 'how they would describe you when you're not in the room?'
For job seekers, your personal brand is why a future employer would say yes to hiring you. It lets them know that you're a fit. For employees, your personal brand is your reputation. It builds trust within your team because who you say you are and how you show up are in alignment.
6. Networking and community building beyond a company
The 2024 version of networking and community building is no longer about creating connections exclusively within your workplace.
Instead, it's about engaging with people on a global scale and across various platforms and industries—expanding your professional circle and sharing diverse backgrounds, knowledge, resources, and opportunities. (Think of it almost like a non-traditional job search, even if you’re not currently on the market.)
How you build this community is intricately linked to building and maintaining your personal brand, as your brand is your professional identity that resonates with your network, helping you build relationships and stand out.
The rise of digital platforms (like LinkedIn) has helped take this future workplace trend and make it a far more accessible reality now. Online platforms, professional groups, virtual conferences, webinars, and more are some avenues for networking to thrive.
Best places to network professionally:
- Eventbrite
- Meetup
- Wellfound
- Slack communities
Remember, a community isn't in the number of times you hit "Connect" but in the quality of relationships built and the mutual value—you get out of it what you put in.
7. Skills-based hiring practices
The continued shift towards skills-based hiring in 2024 emphasizes the importance of self-awareness. It also underscores the value of adapting your existing skill set.
Skills-based hiring focuses on what you can do…now. It's a move towards more inclusive and objective hiring where skills and actual experiences (and the combined impact of those two elements) take center stage over things like subjective biases and nepotism.
This trend also signals a renewed focus on alignment between job seekers and hiring professionals.
As Recruiter and Co-Host of the Corporate Pizza Party podcast, Mike Peditto says:
It's more important than ever to really make sure your resume accurately shows not just your skill set but also how it aligns to what the job you're applying for wants.
A resume that very clearly lays out how you used the tools or skills needed for a job will always stand out compared to those that create questions or confusion around what skills were used in recent roles.
Rather than throwing a bunch of 'buzzwords' into a box at the bottom of your resume because you want them to be on there, work them into your bullet points demonstrating what you did and what happened because of it. Anyone can say they have a skill, but how well can you show it off?
In addition to being mindful of your current skills and continually evolving, updating your assets consistently ensures two things:
1) You’re prepared to apply as soon as a role you’re interested in hits the market.
2) Your application stands out because you’re qualified.
Tools like Teal’s AI Resume Builder (with a Match Score feature) make creating, storing, and regularly updating your job search assets to optimize them for skills-based hiring a seamless (and fast!) process. By using these resources consistently, your resume will accurately reflect your abilities and resonate with the evolving needs of the market.
8. The gig economy and freelance work
Key workplace trends like career agency and empowerment pave the way for the gig economy and freelance work to gain more velocity this year.
This trend caters to those seeking control over their work-life balance, flexible working hours, project choices, income sources, and career autonomy. It's a shift from traditional employment to a more entrepreneurial approach, where self-marketing, personal branding, and networking are essential.
This shift can be daunting but rewarding for those accustomed to traditional employment. Inversely, it offers a chance to work on diverse projects, develop a broad skill set, and potentially achieve a better balance.
9. Increased use of AI and automation
The final trend shaping the workplace in 2024 is artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. These advancements aren't just transforming how work is done but also redefining the skills and roles in demand.
Benefits of AI and automation in the workplace:
- Streamlining tasks
- Improving productivity
- Delivering insights through data analysis
They also require adaptability and readiness to learn.
Think of this trend as an opportunity to boost your skills with knowledge of AI and automation tools. One where it's not about competing with machines but collaborating with them to improve how you work.
AI will also continue to open doors to new career paths and specialties (especially in fields like data science, machine learning, and AI ethics). As these technologies unfold, staying educated and proactive will be vital for your growth and success in an increasingly automated world.
The impact of trends in the workplace on job seekers and employees
The workplace trends of 2024 will drive professionals at all stages to adopt a more strategic, self-driven approach to career development.
In this evolving market, adaptability is key—pivoting and growing with the changing demands while embracing continuous learning, actively shaping your personal brand, and building a community.
These trends also indicate a more significant shift in the traditional employer-employee dynamic. Career progression is becoming a product of your individual choices, skills, and connections rather than a predefined path chosen by a company or outdated idea. This means taking ownership of your career, being open to new, more unconventional opportunities, and leveraging data and technology to make informed choices.
How to prepare for future workplace trends
Understanding workplace trends and what they mean for you is the first step. The next is to know what actions you can take to tap into the opportunities workforce trends present.
Here are some strategies to help you navigate and thrive in the workplace of 2024:
1. Be adaptable and continuously learn
Staying current in the workplace hinges on your ability to adapt and continuously upgrade your skills.
To do this, embrace upskilling, whether learning new technologies specific to your industry, getting a deep understanding of relevant data (and where to find it), or improving your existing skill set.
For job seekers, this also means tailoring your job search assets like resumes and cover letters to reflect your most in-demand skills. For those not looking for new positions, it's about leveraging data and insights to empower your career moves.
2. Develop and refine your personal brand
In a market where you're as much a brand as a professional, understanding and refining your personal brand is key to marketing yourself as a business, building your network, and knowing your true value and skills.
To build your brand, Bonser recommends defining it for yourself and then asking others. If these are different, you have some work ahead of you.
To start this process, she suggests getting clear on:
- Your core values
- What you stand for
- The value you bring
- And why it all matters
3. Sharpen your digital literacy and tech-savviness
With the increasing influence of AI and automation, tech-savvy is no longer optional.
Going beyond basic digital literacy, work to understand better how to leverage emerging technologies like AI in your day-to-day professional life, and then learn to do that.
4. Proactively plan your career
The modern career path is far from linear. It requires proactive planning and a strategic approach to navigate successfully. To get started:
- Set clear career goals beyond accumulating good employee performance reviews and a salary—what do you want to get out of the time you spend working?
- Assess your work style to learn how you work best and where you thrive. (For example, do you do best with remote work or even a hybrid working model? Do you prefer a more collaborative company culture, or would you prefer to work independently?)
- Understand the skills and experiences needed to achieve your goals.
- Work to bridge any gaps in knowledge, background, or credentials.
- Take deliberate steps to meet milestones that help you reach your objectives.
- Refine and iterate your goals and strategy as you grow in your career.
Build your future in an evolving workplace with Teal
The workplace trends above signal a shift in how you approach your career with adaptability, branding, and a proactive stance. It isn't about passively adapting to changes but actively shaping a journey that aligns with your goals, values, and strengths.
Designed to empower professionals like you, Teal has resources like the Job Application Tracker and AI Resume Builder to help you find the best skills for your path, update your job search assets, and strategically position yourself in the evolving job market.
Ready to adapt to the 2024 trends above? Sign up for Teal for free and start shaping your career with insights and tools tailored for today's workplace.
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