The emotional rollercoaster of work: insights from Gallup’s 2024 Report
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
We explore the latest Gallup State of the Global Workplace report to uncover key insights and their implications for the workforce.
Imagine this: over a quarter of the UK workforce experiences sadness for a significant part of their workday. Yes, you read that right. The UK is second highest in the world when it comes to workplace-induced sadness. And on top of that, stress levels remain alarmingly high with 38% of employees reporting high stress and almost 1 in 5 experiencing frequent anger.
Our jobs, which should ideally bring purpose and satisfaction, are casting shadows over our daily lives. Clearly work can evoke strong emotions in employees and for many, it’s negative.
These shocking insights comes from the Gallup State of the Global Workplace 2024 report, covering data from 100 different countries across the world.
We take a deeper look into the numbers to see what’s really going on behind those office doors and on the factory floors.
Key insights from the Gallup Report: engagement or disengagement?
The first notable finding in the report is the level of engagement. Unfortunately, here in the UK engagement remains low at 10%. But there’s a twist – management plays a crucial role in this statistic.
Why managers matter
Gallup’s findings highlight that managers are pivotal, accounting for 70% of the variance in team engagement. So, if employees are feeling disconnected at work, managers may well have a lot to do with it.
Here are some insights from the report:
- Loneliness at work: 20% of the world’s employees experience daily loneliness, with young employees feeling it more acutely. Interestingly, having a job generally decreases loneliness – 20% of working adults feel lonely compared to 32% of those unemployed.
- The manager’s dilemma: Whilst managers are more likely to be engaged and thriving in life, feeling their opinions count and having a strong connection to their organisation and colleagues, their emotions are a rollercoaster. They experience higher highs and lower lows than non-managers, likely leaving them mentally exhausted.
- The flip side: However, the flip side is equally stark – managers are more prone to stress, anger, sadness, and loneliness. They’re also more likely to be on the lookout for a new job.
Challenges facing younger employees
The workplace environment for employees under 35 has significantly deteriorated, painting a challenging picture for the future workforce:
- Declining wellbeing: Wellbeing among younger employees declined in 2023.
- Loneliness epidemic: Younger workers under 35 are more likely to experience loneliness and less likely to feel cared about or have opportunities for development, especially in remote and hybrid settings.
- Lack of clarity: Less than 40% of young remote or hybrid employees know what is expected of them at work.
These stats are not just numbers; they reflect a growing discontent among younger employees that could have long-term implications for businesses if not addressed promptly.
Read more: How to effectively communicate with a multigenerational workforce
Strategies for improving workplace engagement and wellbeing
Managers play a pivotal role in shaping the employee experience. Countries with higher manager engagement see two times more engaged employees. When managers are engaged, their team members are more likely to be engaged too.
Disengaged employees cite the need for better culture. 41% of disengaged employees suggest that improving culture and engagement would enhance their workplace experience. And enhancing employee engagement can lead to significant improvements in business outcomes, retention and absenteeism, so it’s worth the investment.
Here are some practical takeaways for internal communicators to take forward:
- Support managers: Provide them with the tools and training they need to manage stress and build resilient teams. Encourage managers to have meaningful, two-way conversations with their team members.
- Develop clear communications: Clarity is key. Ensure that all employees, especially younger ones, understand their roles, what is expected of them and how their work aligns with the overall business purpose and goals.
- Openly support mental health and wellbeing: Provide resources and support for mental health. Creating an open and honest environment where employees feel cared for can improve overall wellbeing.
- Provide opportunities for connection: Encourage collaboration and interaction across all levels of the business to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Build a sense of community through team-building activities and social events, even as virtual or hybrid events.
While the Gallup report paints a rather bleak picture of the current state of the global workplace, it also offers opportunities for the path forward. By focusing on engagement and supporting our managers, we can turn the tide and create a work environment that uplifts rather than brings down.
Are you ready to take a step forward to a more engaging and emotionally balanced workplace? Get in touch to discover how we can support you in creating a fairer, healthier, and happier workforce through the power of accessible and effective communications that drive real change.
Exploring fresh graphic design in creative communications
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
Explore the freshest trends in graphic design and find inspiration to create communications that connect with your audience.
As spring is blooming all around us, there’s no better time to infuse your creative communications with the spirit of renewal and growth. In this article we’re sharing what’s been inspiring us lately and examining some of the design trends we’re excited to see.
Sustainability and purpose-driven branding
Sustainable design is not a trendy, niche approach, it’s fast becoming a core principle. Consumers are looking for brands that align with their values and have a clear social or environmental mission. Brands that can effectively communicate their purpose and demonstrate their commitment to making a positive impact are likely to resonate. Customers are placing more value on products and services that prioritise sustainability, with studies finding that 81% of consumers believe brands should actively work to protect the environment.
From a design style perspective, we’re seeing a lot more thought go into packaging. Not just classic recyclable material and eco postage, but packaging being reusable or rethinking it by giving it a second life.
Sustainability conscious styling is starting to shift away from cliche ‘green’ to using a wider palette of nature through muted blues, beige and pinks to represent sustainability alongside the classic textured, earthy feel.
Amble Outdoors | Sustainable clothing
As well as seeing these visual changes, the messaging is diving deeper. As a more well-informed audience which has growing concern over climate change and other environmental issues, consumers are increasingly looking for brands that prioritise sustainability. Messages and campaigns are bold and calling people out when they’re greenwashing or contributing to negative sustainable practices, working towards a force for change.
Make My Money Matter | Oblivia Coal Mine
The continued rise of AI
AI has made a huge impact on the marketing world over the last year. While the creative industry may feel under pressure from generative AI tools, it has also never felt so full of potential and scope for growth. AI is streamlining the design process, providing insights and generating multiple styles quickly. And AI is not going anywhere! AI is only going to get bigger and better, especially as us as humans learn to control it and manipulate it.
In this recent survey by It’s Nice That, 83% of creatives in the industry are already using AI tools. There are still ethical concerns around bias – which still need a human eye to carefully consider outputs – and legal concerns around plagiarism but the technology will undoubtedly continue to improve.
Midjourney outputs
Embracing nostalgia
Fashion repeats itself every twenty years or so, and this holds true in design too. The content of nostalgia marketing changes with the generations, as each generation has different cultural references. Gen Z may look to cultural references from the ’90s or early ‘00s, whereas Gen X or older millennials might feel nostalgic about the ’80s and its cultural touchpoints.
We have seen a huge re-emergence of ’90s inspired designs stemming from the iconic Barbie and Mean Girls movies allowing many of us to embrace the childhood nostalgia. This is paving the way for vibrant colours, abstract shapes, funky patterns, and scrapbooking to name a few. These design styles create an emotional bond with the audience, this especially aligns with Gen Z’s growing digital fatigue and their desire for meaningful experiences and authenticity.
Cadburys | Yours for 200 years
Bold type
Sometimes text needs to do the talking. In a world where there is so much visual information thrown at us and video/social media can be so intrusive, a simple message is effective. More campaigns are using simple type to tell the message and make an impact. Simplicity is key. Clean imagery is being used but enhanced by the typography.
B&Q | You can do it
Inclusive design
Inclusive design that is both diverse and accessible has rightly become a staple. Ranging from high-contrast graphics, clear typography, alt text for images, and diverse and inclusive messaging.
Inclusive design enables us to talk to global audiences, breaking down barriers and challenging stereotypes.
Nike | This athlete isn’t just an athlete she’s a mother too.
Impactful communications that connect with people
It’s clear that the world of graphic design is always changing and we’re seeing exciting trends shaping the way we communicate.
But amidst all this change, one thing stays the same: our commitment to making impactful designs that connect with people. Whether it’s telling your brand’s story or spreading a message, we’re here to help. If you’re looking to get cut through with your creative communications, reach out to us. Let’s work together to make something that makes a lasting impression.
Navigating AI together: the risks of plagiarism and protecting IP
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
In a thought-provoking session on AI, plagiarism and IP, we unravelled the challenges facing communicators using generative AI.
In our most recent ‘Navigating AI together’ session, we went on a journey to explore the legal challenges around the use of generative AI tools. We were delighted to be joined by Alex Collinson from Herrington Carmichael, a seasoned expert in commercial and intellectual property law.
The purpose of the ‘Navigating AI together’ series is to foster a community dedicated to responsible AI usage and to work through these challenges with clarity and integrity, together. In this recap of our discussion, we’re shining a light on the issues around AI and charting a path towards ethical and informed AI usage.
What do we mean by intellectual property, copyright and trademarks?
Many of us are likely guilty of using language like intellectual property, copyright and trademarks almost interchangeably. But to understand the legal landscape around AI, we need to get these terms nailed down.
- Intellectual property (IP): refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, symbols, names, and images used in commerce. IP is protected by laws which give the creators or owners exclusive rights to use their creations or discoveries for a certain period of time.
- Copyright: Copyright grants exclusive rights to creators of original works, such as books, music, and software, allowing them to control reproduction, distribution, and other uses for a limited time. Copyright acts as a deterrent to those who may wish to profit from reproduction, and can be licensed which can create a revenue stream for your business.
- Trademark: Trademarks protect words, symbols, or designs that distinguish goods or services, providing exclusive rights to their owners to prevent confusion among consumers and maintain brand identity.
Common copyright misconceptions
Even before we get into the new, complex and unclear realm of generative AI, Alex shared with us that there are a lot of common misconceptions:
- “Everything on the Internet is free to use”: Contrary to popular belief, just because something is freely available online doesn’t mean it’s in the public domain. Users must be cautious about where they obtain information and how they use it.
- “My name is protected by copyright”: Names and symbols can’t be protected by copyright; instead, they fall under trademark law. Trademarks prevent others from using similar names or symbols that could cause confusion in the marketplace.
- “You have to register your copyright to protect it”: Under English law, there’s no requirement to register copyright. Copyright protection automatically applies to works once they’re created, including artistic and literary works.
What the law says about generative AI
While the law is not quite up to speed with generative AI, Alex shared some interesting case examples to help us better understand the legal landscape.
Copyright
Alex shared with us a high-profile case, Getty Images (US) Inc v Stability AI Ltd [2023] EWHC 3090 (Ch), that highlights the difficulty generative AI is causing within copyright law. Getty Images alleged that Stability AI unlawfully scraped images from other websites to train its AI model, resulting in infringement of copyright and trademarks.
Despite Stability AI seeking summary judgment (without a full trial), the court refused, recognising the novel issues surrounding AI and copyright law. These legal nuances reveal the need for the law to adapt to the evolving landscape of AI technology, with more cases expected to emerge.
It is possible that copyright could be infringed when AI systems are trained, if this process involves copying a substantial part of copyright works that are still within the terms of protection. However, the issue regarding whether copying will be deemed to have occurred where a generative AI system has been trained on copyright works is not straightforward.
Potential issues include:
- Proving the use of copyrighted works in training AI: proving that copyrighted works were used to train and develop a generative AI system poses challenges due to the lack of transparency in data usage.
- Jurisdictional issues: determining the location of training and development activities, especially in cases involving online communication, can be complex. Although even if the activities occurred outside the UK but targeted the UK public, copyright law may still apply.
- Permitted acts under copyright law: Assessing whether any infringement occurred involves considering permitted acts outlined in the Copyrights Act. These acts include fair dealing defences, such as criticism, review, quotation, parody, caricature, and pastiche, which provide exceptions to copyright restrictions.
Trademarks
Given how new generative AI is and the evolving legal landscape, there are very limited case studies available. However, Alex explained how longer existing AI applications may help us to understand potential future legal implications.
AI-driven recommendation systems, commonly used in e-commerce, analyse user data to suggest products based on preferences and behaviour. Amazon, for instance, employs such AI technology.
In the case of Cosmetic Warriors and Lush v Amazon ([2014]EWHC 181 (Ch)), Amazon was found to have used Lush products and branding on its website to attract customers and recommend other products without Lush’s consent. Lush claimed trademark infringement, asserting that its intellectual property rights were violated, with the court ruling in its favour. This case highlights the importance of protecting trademarks within the digital marketplace.
The ethical dilemma
While the law hasn’t yet adapted to the emergence of generative AI, as communicators, we can’t afford to sit back and wait while these tools that can enhance creativity and productivity are available to us. With the ongoing legal uncertainties, it’s up to us to evaluate the ethical implications of our communications practices.
Consider a scenario shared during our session, involving Keith Haring’s artwork and an AI-generated copy produced on Midjourney, a licensed platform. Keith Haring is perhaps most famous for his art used in the iconic Change4Life public health campaign.
The Keith Haring Foundation, a charitable organisation dedicated to children in need and those affected by HIV/AIDS, holds the rights to Haring’s iconic artwork.
However, we posed a hypothetical situation where the government wants to commission a new public health campaign, once again using Haring’s renowned illustrative style. As our Midjourney example shows, instead of licensing art from the Keith Haring Foundation, they could potentially use AI-generated images.
This capability raises ethical and legal concerns regarding intellectual property rights. Despite the AI’s capability to mimic Haring’s style, using these images without consent from the Keith Haring Foundation could potentially infringe upon their IP rights. Not to mention the ethical impact of not licencing the images from a charitable foundation.
This example reflects the importance of ethics when incorporating AI-generated content into communication strategies, while we wait for the law to catch up.
We’d like to thank Alex for guiding us through this complex topic. If you’d like to explore the legal implications of generative AI further, we encourage you to connect with Alex on LinkedIn to stay updated on future discussions and insights.
Navigating AI together
Our upcoming session will delve into the role AI should play in marketing efforts and consider how marketers can best leverage AI to streamline tasks and free up valuable time.
If you’d like to be kept in the loop for details on this insightful discussion, get in touch.
4 steps to making generative AI an ally to inclusion
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
Discover four practical steps to mitigate bias in generative AI and ensure inclusive, authentic representation in your AI-powered communications.
AI offers amazing opportunities for communicators, from writing creative content to bringing to life a visual idea in a matter of seconds. But its power comes with a challenge: inherent biases.
Generative AI has been trained on human-created content, and so has inherited deep-seated bias built in. This bias can, and often does, unintentionally permeate AI-generated content, reinforcing stereotypes and misconceptions.
So as the human hands guiding AI, what can we do to help overcome these biases and use AI as a tool to foster inclusion and authentic representation?
1. Nurturing AI as responsible guides
It’s important that we hold the hand of AI and safely guide it as generative AI learns from the language we use. We need to ensure we understand the EDI landscape ourselves thoroughly first before we can expect AI to generate outputs that are genuinely inclusive and authentically representative.
2. Navigating our human bias
The second step to making AI an ally to inclusive communications is self-reflection. We’re human, and we’re fallible, and it is important to remember that in the context of EDI. As humans, we do form stereotypes – it’s a coping mechanism and our brain’s attempt to simplify the barrage of information we encounter daily.
We must remain vigilant – consciously slowing down and actively recognising these stereotypes within ourselves so we do not bring them into our communications with AI.
3. Increasing awareness of our unconscious biases
Unconscious bias refers to the automatic attitudes and stereotypes that influence our judgments and actions without our conscious awareness. Shaped by our experiences and societal influences, these biases impact how we view others.
If you’re considering using AI within your communications, then you must understand what your own unconscious biases are. The Harvard IATs – Implicit Association Tests – are a useful tool to help you begin to do this. Set up by a collaboration of US researchers in 1998, Project Implicit aims to collect data on our biases as we learn about ourselves. We’d recommended picking a test identity characteristic you think you don’t carry bias on and one you think you do – and see how it plays out. These tests can help you identify where your unconscious biases could influence AI.
4. Learning from our mistakes
AI is still a relatively new tool for many of us – we are still learning how to get the best out of ChatGPT or how to write an effective prompt on Midjourney. We are naturally going to make mistakes as we learn how to use different AI platforms. But we must learn from these and identify where we perhaps need to reword a prompt or change the language, we are using to generate more inclusive results. By taking our time to craft prompts carefully to guide unbiased outcomes we can minimise our mistakes and foster greater inclusion.
But what about if AI makes a mistake and leans on bias or stereotypes? We can help it learn from its mistakes too! By offering corrective feedback, we can help steer AI responses towards being more inclusive.
Navigating AI together
Our ‘Navigating AI together’ workshop series has been providing a safe and open space for communicators to discuss various aspects of AI.
This time, recognising the pressing need, we’re focusing on intellectual property and copyright issues. It’s an area that many communicators have been struggling to grapple with, so in our next session, on Friday 15th March, we’re going to delve into it together.
We are delighted to be welcoming Alex Collinson, from Herrington Carmichael, who specialises in commercial and intellectual property law matters. Alex will lead an insightful discussion covering copyright, brand protection, confidentiality concerns, and real-world cases of AI IP infringement.
Should your business start a podcast?
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
Discover how podcasts can help you engage your customers and employees.
In recent years, podcasts have continued to grow in popularity. In 2021, over 19.1 million people in the UK listened to podcasts, and this is predicted to grow to 28 million listeners by 2026. We’re also seeing people listening to podcasts on a regular basis – 25.5% of people say they listen to podcasts weekly.
Podcasts are becoming an effective communication channel for a whole host of businesses across different industries. Just like how we now consider social media a fundamental way to engage with our customers, marketers and comms professionals are starting to view podcasts in the same way. But podcasts aren’t just relevant for your customers or external audiences, they are a great way to increase engagement with the workforce too.
So how can you effectively leverage podcasts as a communications channel for your business?
Positioning your experts as thought leaders
One of this year’s trends in podcasting is the growing demand for educative content delivered in an entertaining and interesting way, as listeners want to stay informed and be inspired. Podcasts provide an opportunity for experts in your business to reach new audiences and share their knowledge, experience, and insights in an engaging way.
Connecting through real-time interaction
Another podcasting trend growing in popularity this year is live podcasting. Providing real-time engagement and a stronger connection with listeners, live podcasting provides an opportunity to deliver truly authentic content. Listeners have the opportunity to ask questions or guide the conversation in the way they want it to go and engage with speakers on a more personal level.
Exploring your brand personality
With podcasts typically having a more friendly and informal tone, they provide an opportunity for you to bring a more conversational element to your brand personality. Whilst listeners are looking to be entertained by podcasts, many are also keen to learn something new. This presents a real opportunity for businesses to provide informative and interesting content in a relatable and enjoyable way.
Communicating with employees
When communicating with employees, it can sometimes be difficult to break through the noise of day-to-day communications. Office-based employees constantly receive emails or instant messages, whilst frontline staff may be on the road or working in the warehouse where checking these channels might be more difficult. A podcast gives you the opportunity to engage employees through a different channel, perhaps whilst they are driving or commuting.
Giving employees a voice
Podcasts don’t just have to be a way to communicate with employees – they are a great opportunity to give employees a chance to talk about the things that matter to them. Whether you invite employees to be guest speakers or start an employee-led podcast series, this can be a great way to start conversations about important topics within your workforce.
Our top podcasting tips
- Release episodes regularly. People look forward to the next episode of their favourite podcasts being released – just like they would with the next episode of a TV series.
- Make sure your podcast is available on all the most popular platforms, such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
- Promote your podcast via your other channels. 32% of people hear about new podcasts through social media.
- Keep the tone conversational and friendly. Listeners typically find these types of podcasts relatable and enjoyable as they can feel like a conversation they would have themselves.
- Consider bringing in guest speakers who are relevant to the target audience.
If you’re looking for support in starting your podcasting journey, we’re here to help. From communications plans to recording podcast episodes, we can provide the support you need.
Creating a more neuroinclusive work environment
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
With many citing empowering neurodivergent talent as a business imperative, discover how your workforce can behave in a more neuroinclusive way.
Embracing neurodiversity within your workforce can introduce fresh perspectives, new ways of thinking, and innovative ideas. According to Deloitte, “organizations that make an extra effort to recruit, retain, and nurture neurodivergent workers can gain a competitive edge from increased diversity in skills, ways of thinking, and approaches to problem-solving.”
With studies showing that an estimated 15-20% of adults are neurodivergent, businesses that neglect to take measures to recognise, embrace and support people who are neurodiverse, risk being left behind.
Neurodiversity isn’t a superpower. However, by empowering a diverse workforce, and creating a workplace environment where everyone feels understood and accepted, employees can feel psychologically safer and more able to share different perspectives and approaches.
There are some simple steps we can encourage employees to take to better support their neurodiverse colleagues.
So, what steps can we give our teams to help them work in a more neuroinclusive way?
In an office environment…
Reduce office overstimulation
Think about a typical office environment – bright lights, unexpected noises, different smells, lots of people moving around. This can make offices very overstimulating for many people. Consider ways you can help reduce office overstimulation. This could involve encouraging team members to take calls and eat their lunch away from the main office area, or to use headphones when watching videos.
Respect quiet spaces
If someone takes themselves away from a main office space to work it may be that they are looking for a quieter environment to focus. When someone seeks a quieter space to work, ask your team to consider popping over a quick message asking for a discussion or scheduling a dedicated time to talk.
When sharing information or tasks…
Give specific instructions
Don’t expect people to read between the lines. It can be very difficult for someone to pinpoint exactly what they need to do or achieve if they are not given specific instructions. Encourage clear and direct communication.
Avoid unclear information
We like the ‘What you need, by when, and why’ basis for giving them instructions , shared by Ellie Middleton in her highly recommended Nano Tips for Working Inclusively with Neurodivergent Employees LinkedIn Learning course. Saying things like ‘this is urgent’ but without clearer instructions can be overwhelming, as people’s perceptions of urgency can be different. Encourage your team to provide clear timeframes to help colleagues plan their time accordingly or rearrange tasks if needed.
Keep everyone on the same page
Have all processes and policies written down so that everyone has access to clear guidelines. Ensure that everyone knows where and how to access these processes and policies so they can refer to them as they need to.
Make information available
Neurodivergent people can become overwhelmed by not having enough information. Make sure all the details people could need in the workplace or for specific tasks are accessible. It can also help to provide people with the opportunity to ask for further information if they require it.
When working together…
Adapt communication styles
We all communicate with one another in different ways, and some people feel more confident expressing themselves through specific methods of communication. Encourage your team to tune in to and understand each other’s preferred ways of communicating, and adapt to these styles where possible. For example, when asking for ideas or feedback in a meeting, you could also give people an opportunity to share their thoughts via email after the discussion.
Embrace diverse work styles
It’s important to recognise and appreciate that people have varied work rhythms. By focusing on outcomes, instead of the way someone reaches that outcome, people can feel more comfortable working in a way that helps them deliver their best work.
Share information early
Help everyone prepare by always sharing meeting agendas and information in advance. This gives people a chance to digest the information they need to understand and feel comfortable and confident when they get into a meeting.
Pop over a message before calls
Unexpected calls or meetings can disrupt people or cause them to feel unprepared for or anxious about the incoming call. Suggest that colleagues send a quick message before making calls to help ensure a productive conversation, and give people time to prepare for and get into the right mindset for the call.
Neuroinclusion benefits everyone
As we’ve discussed, diversity brings new perspectives and ways of thinking about things. Better support of neurodivergent people can help us all to access different perspectives and approaches. A neuroinclusive environment nurtures a culture of empathy and acceptance, enhancing the workplace and strengthening teamwork.
However, reading through these tips you may have felt that they are really just some best practice and sensible suggestions on ways of working with other people. Neuroinclusive practices foster clearer communication, patience, and understanding among all team members – both neurodivergent and neurotypical. An inclusive approach paves the way for better interactions and collaboration, benefiting everyone.
Are you ready to talk about neuroinclusion?
If you want to start the conversation about neuroinclusive working with your employees, get in touch as we can support you with creating engaging communications that help nurture an inclusive workplace culture.
5 trends that we expect will shape workplace culture in 2024
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
Curious about the evolving workplace culture in 2024? Explore these five key employee priorities.
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.
Five AI trends we expect to see in 2024
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
Looking ahead to 2024, what AI trends can we anticipate?
This year, we have witnessed the rapid growth of AI. New platforms, applications, and software have emerged for almost every industry, including creative communications. However, in the ever-evolving landscape of AI, what trends can we expect to see in 2024?
Increased legislation
Nations across the globe are forming comprehensive AI policies in order to set regulations, drive innovative growth, and help ensure everyone can benefit from AI. As AI continues to advance, expect to see further guidelines and regulations introduced, including laws to prevent harmful content such as deepfakes. The speed at which AI evolves is set to continue in 2024, so we expect legislation will continually evolve to keep up with this new technology.
The importance of ethical AI
As AI becomes more widely adopted in 2024, we will see a continued focus on it being developed and used in a responsible way. There are already concerns about AI biases, plagiarism, accuracy, and a lack of transparency. However, despite these concerns, 73% of users trust content created by generative AI. This worrying statistic highlights how important it is that AI is used ethically. As we head into 2024, experts expect to see an increased interest in AI ethics education.
In the communications industry, honesty, accuracy and inclusivity are vital, so it’s important that we use AI in a responsible way. We believe it’s time for the communications industry to take the lead and set its own guidelines for ethical AI usage.
AI-enhanced creativity
AI is rapidly becoming a collaborative partner to people in many different job roles across a vast range of industries, including creative communications. Platforms such as Midjourney and Adobe Firefly have brought AI capabilities to the creative industry with tools such as generative fill. Whilst there is no replacement for human creativity, these tools can help creatives work more efficiently. As we move through 2024, expect to see these tools more widely adopted and new capabilities introduced.
The next generation of generative AI
Generative AI has advanced rapidly this past year, and the pace is set to continue. In 2024, generative AI is expected to advance further, from language model-based chatbots such as ChatGPT to video creation tools. Experts predict that AI applications and tools will become more powerful and user-friendly, new applications and capabilities will appear, and the difference between human and AI-generated content will become trickier to determine. Furthermore, we will start to see AI integrated into commonly used applications, such as the introduction of Microsoft 365 Copilot across the Microsoft 365 product suite.
AI as an intelligent assistant
As AI continues to be integrated into more commonly used applications and software, it is expected that it will start to become an intelligent assistant to us in our everyday work. From summarising lengthy PDF documents to grammar checking, and highlighting social media trends to researching hot topics, AI can help us work more efficiently. However, while AI offers opportunities to streamline processes and increase efficiency, we must still ensure responsible and ethical use.
Navigating AI together: overcoming bias and achieving inclusion
With the AI revolution upon us, we’ve been facilitating regular roundtable discussions to support communicators in navigating this change together.
In our next session we will examine the issue of the biases embedded in AI and explore how we can mitigate this bias and harness AI tools to foster greater inclusion and authentic representation.
Let’s continue Navigating AI Together, ensuring responsible, ethical, and inclusive AI usage in our communication practices.