5 trends that we expect will shape workplace culture in 2024

Workplace culture has a profound impact on employee engagement, productivity, and morale, so organisations must keep up with what is important to employees to help nurture a positive environment. With 45% of UK employees saying a great culture is the most important factor when looking for a new job, what should employers be looking out for in 2024?

1. Flexibility will continue to be key

The pandemic changed the way many of us work, driving a surge in the number of employees working from home. In 2023, some companies continued with fully remote working, whereas others have started to implement return-to-office policies and hybrid work options. But what could happen in 2024?

We expect to see more of a shift towards employees wanting flexibility, rather than just the opportunity to work from home. With 71% of workers saying a flexible working pattern is important to them when considering a new role, this suggests employees are looking for flexibility around arrangements such as start and finish times or where they work from too, to help them achieve a better work-life balance.

2. Prioritising employee mental health and wellbeing

We believe nurturing a healthy culture that supports employee mental health and wellbeing is one of the biggest areas of importance for 2024. In 2020-2021 alone, .

Although the effect of not prioritising employee wellbeing on productivity is clear, nurturing a healthy workplace culture is about much more than just the financial impact. In a workplace where wellbeing is prioritised, there is likely to be higher employee morale, reduced turnover, and increased job satisfaction.

3. The demand for sustainability

With Gen Z joining the workforce, they are beginning to influence workplace culture. By 2025, Gen Z will account for 27% of the workforce, so employers will need to start listening to what’s important to them if they wish to attract and retain the next generation of talent.

With 50% of Gen Zs saying they are pushing their employer to drive change on environmental issues, it’s clear that sustainability is an important matter that employers need to prioritise as part of their workplace culture initiatives. However, as well as businesses looking at organisational sustainability initiatives, part of building an environmentally conscious workplace culture involves supporting and empowering employees to make better choices in their lives outside of work.

4. Employees want to feel a sense of belonging

This year, diversity, equity and inclusion have become increasingly important in the workplace. In 2024, the focus on DEIB is set to continue. 65% of employees admit they want to feel a strong sense of belonging at work, suggesting employers need to start going further than just having a DEIB policy.

Many employees now want to feel like part of a community at work, form stronger connections with colleagues, and feel like they can be their true selves at work. To help nurture this type of culture, employers need to ensure their DEIB initiatives are accessible, thorough, and most importantly, authentic.

5. The importance of internal communications

Internal communications help keep employees informed, engaged and connected to a business. However, effective internal communications are about more than just sending out a monthly email newsletter to employees. There are many channels that employers can, and should, use to keep employees engaged with the business. This is particularly important for reaching frontline workers, where email isn’t necessarily the best way to communicate with the workforce.

As we approach 2024, nurturing a healthy, safe and thriving workplace culture has never been more important. If you’re looking for some support in developing internal communications strategies or initiatives that engage your workforce, we’re here to help.