5 exciting HR trends for 2024

In recent months, HR departments have dedicated significant effort to defining their policies for the upcoming year. A key question in this process has undoubtedly been how companies can tackle new and existing challenges. How do you navigate ESG? How do you report the S pillar? And what’s the strategy for hybrid working? It's a delicate balance that needs to be struck.
At Move To Happiness, we are in daily contact with HR departments from companies big or small across various industries. We identified five key themes that will continue to shape HR in 2024.

Data as a catalyst  

One of the foremost trends for 2024 is further digitalization within companies. Data is set to become indispensable. On the one hand, for companies aiming to expand, and put the employees’ well-being first. On the other hand, there is also the CSRD, which makes ESG reporting mandatory. Technological innovation won’t just revolve around payroll processing or HR process adaptations; it will also drive the digitalization of what’s often referred to as soft-HR. 
"At Move To Happiness, we help companies understand their workplace dynamics by analyzing usage patterns," cites Kenneth Van Daele, CEO at Move To Happiness. "For instance, manufacturing companies observed that sleep is a critical issue for shift workers. Office workers are increasingly interested how to combine work and family or looking for content around healthy eating or sports. We assess the impact on employee absenteeism and examine the relationship between content and productivity. Thanks to the underlying data retrieved through a platform like Move To Happiness, it is possible to work much more specifically on the needs of your employees. The ultimate goal is a measurable return on investment (ROI) for ESG initiatives."

Engagement as a boost for your social policy

Getting all employees fully onboard with your company's vision isn't always easy. How do you get that engagement to surface? And what are the benefits of having a workforce that’s fully aligned with your goals? 
Kenneth Van Daele picks up: "To boost engagement among your employees and bring them together in a fun way, consider organizing various activities. For instance, training for a particular sporting event and participating together. Or organizing campaigns centered around SDG goals, like '30 days less car'. This allows you to foster connections among employees. By cultivating a more robust sense of community within the group, you'll observe an accompanying increase in employee satisfaction

Education remains important

Starting this year, companies with at least 20 employees must provide five days of training per year. While this might pose challenges for smaller businesses, it also presents numerous opportunities. "We know that companies that offer ongoing learning are more agile," cites Kenneth Van Daele. "In addition, offering additional training makes your company more attractive to prospective employees. After all, the new generation of employees is actively looking for a job where there are additional opportunities in the future." 

It is important, however, to keep a few things in mind when organizing your educational opportunities. "Leave micromanagement behind," suggests Kenneth van Daele. "Employees are looking for some form of autonomy where they choose what, how, and when to learn. Additionally, foster connection and engagement between your organization and your employees within a context of a hybrid work arrangement. You can do that by working on employees’ competencies in an informed way."
The extra acquired competencies can be measured through digital assessments. This tool provides beneficial not only for employers but also for employees. It ensures an optimal fit between both parties, enabling purposeful collaboration on tasks and interests, thereby fostering mutual growth and development for the future.

ESG as a driver of sustainability

For many companies and their business leaders, ESG remains a woolly term. ESG compliance is often seen as a burden. However, ESG can actually assist in aligning all aspects within HR - from compensation to mobility to inclusion - with the way you run your company. 

Ensuring that your employees are happy, healthy, and productive will ultimately benefit your organization in the long run. You can achieve this by investing more in ESG, particularly focusing on the S pillar. 

"Diversity, equality, and inclusion will remain critical in 2024,” emphasizes Kenneth Van Daele. Companies should maintain their focus on these three areas. In terms of inclusion, we are aiming for an inclusive culture where every voice is respected and valued. HR departments should prioritize initiatives that foster diversity and proactively address discrimination in the workplace. At Move To Happiness, for instance, we introduced a Ramadan concept to raise more awareness."

Managers must go along with hybrid models

As workplace digitization and automation continue to surge, managers are assuming evolving roles within their companies. In recent years, for instance, they’ve had to quickly adapt to stay connected with their employees when hybrid work became more and more commonplace. There hasn’t been a straightforward guide on how to navigate this shift and how to lead people you barely see.
"Technology has significantly reshaped our organizational culture in recent years, and we're only now fully realizing its impact," explains Kenneth Van Daele, CEO at Move To Happiness. "Both employees and executives had to relearn how to communicate over the past few years.”


Curious about Move To Happiness' ESG implementation plan? Tested and proven effective with more than 7,000 employees from companies like VGD, Accenture, Nyrstar, ... Download our 7-step plan here.