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A new way of working after the pandemics: A Startup Founder’s Guide to 2024 work trends
As we enter 2024, the way we work has undergone significant shifts, and startups need to take notice. For founders aiming to build teams passionate about their work, understanding what top talent wants is crucial. In this blog post, we'll explore how work trends have evolved from the pandemic era to the new 2024 work trends and explore how you, founders, can align with these changes to meet the needs of your employees and future hires.
Work Practices Changes: Pre-pandemics (Work Past) vs. 2024 Work Trends (Work Future):
1. Focus on Employee Wellbeing:
In the pre-pandemic era, employee well-being was acknowledged, but it wasn't the central focus as seen in 2024. Today, there's a bigger emphasis on holistic health. Mental health has become a key business driver, with leaders actively involved. Emotion-based working spaces, incorporating biosensor data and automation, show the commitment to employee wellbeing.
2. Large Teams vs Specialized Talent :
Traditional corporate models favored large, centralized teams before 2020. In 2024, we can expect smaller, flexible core teams to collaborate across companies, emphasizing the importance of company culture in fluid teams.
These teams are the engines of innovation, capable of swiftly adapting to changing circumstances. If you are a founder you may think if you should embrace this trend. The focus should be on building lean, expert teams that can pivot and respond to challenges with speed and precision. The emphasis is on quality over quantity, with each team member bringing specialized skills to the table.
3. The growing value of compensation and benefits :
For startups and scaleups, it's crucial to align with the evolving priorities of potential employees. According to LinkedIn's Future of Recruiting, a monthly survey by LinkedIn, which polls over 20,000 members, the top priority for candidates in 2024 is excellent compensation and benefits. This preference is significant, with a fairly wide margin over other factors, followed closely by considerations like work-life balance and flexible working arrangements. Flexibility and compensation are also identified as the two fastest-growing priorities year over year.
4. A new office
After the pandemic, the importance of ergonomics in companies saw a tremendous increase.
Fluorescent lighting and conventional cubicles are falling out of favor. According to the Future Workplace survey the absence of natural light and windows causes fatigue in 47% of employees and a sense of gloom in 43%. Moreover, employees working in windowless offices experience an average of 46 minutes less sleep per night, affecting both quantity and quality of sleep.
While integrating natural light and views into the workplace can be challenging, it is not impossible. Innovative solutions are emerging, such as Amazon's use of greenhouse-inspired spaces at its Seattle offices or Overstock's implementation of smart windows in its Salt Lake City office. These initiatives not only bring the outdoors inside but also address issues like glare and lack of inspiring views.
5. Training and Development, for real:
While employee development was valued, the current integration of AI for personalized coaching and skill enhancement, along with employee involvement in tool and environment design, showcases a shift towards holistic employee investment.
A good example:
The Startup AccumTech stands out with its commitment to employee growth and development. Monthly learning opportunities, participation in conferences like CodeMash, and structured leadership development programs contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
How Founders Can Adapt to These Trends to Attract Top Talent in 2024:
1. Adopt Agile and Adaptable Work Structures:
As a founder, leverage your startup's inherent nimbleness. Align with the trend of agile superteams, embracing flexible structures and hybrid models that accommodate diverse employee preferences.
2. Create Employee-Centric Wellbeing Initiatives:
Your wellness programs should transcend the traditional, fostering a genuine work-life balance. You could draw inspiration from innovative rules like the "20-20-20" from GreenBox that promote eye health by encouraging employees to take a 20-second break every 20 minutes.
Prioritizing mental health is also crucial in the post-pandemic world, especially in 2024. Take the example of the startup Innocent which invested in mental health with training courses, fostering understanding among all employees and equipping managers to create a positive mental well-being experience.
Remember: To think about your employee's mental health reflects your commitment to a supportive work environment and can be a strong ally to bring the best talent to your company.
3. Offer great compensation and benefit packages:
In the competitive landscape of attracting top talent, founders need to recognize that, candidates are placing more emphasis on tangible benefits. Offering competitive compensation packages and flexible working arrangements should be at the forefront of your talent acquisition strategy.
There’s much more to your employer brand than good pay and flexibility, and offering them may not make you stand out — but be warned: if you don’t provide them, talent will take notice. To stay ahead in the race for top talent, consider how your startup can excel o in providing attractive compensation packages and flexible work options.
4. Invest in Employee Growth and Development:
Prioritize growth and development to attract the talent that wants to grow in the career. Take AccumTech as an example: the startup places a strong emphasis on continuous learning by providing monthly opportunities for staff to develop new skills or deepen their knowledge of relevant company or industry topics.
5. Rethink your office design
As a founder, consider going beyond the conventional aspects of office design. Natural light and scenic views have proven to be powerful contributors to employee health and wellbeing, directly impacting performance. According to Future Workplace, 78% of respondents believe that natural light and views enhance their overall happiness and wellbeing.
For startups on a budget, there are practical steps to maximize natural light. Replace fluorescent lights with desk lamps that replicate natural sunlight, invest in reasonably priced custom lighting with adjustable hues, and consider rearranging office layouts to optimize window exposure. Mirrors can help distribute light more evenly, while breaks outdoors are encouraged for a refreshing escape.
In the competition for top talent, the workplace environment plays a crucial role. A dark and dreary office can decrease talent attraction and retention, impacting overall employee satisfaction. Instead of investing in perks that might not resonate, listen to employees' preferences and innovate your workplace accordingly. Creating a welcoming and wellness-oriented environment will not only make your startup competitive in the talent market but also boost employee satisfaction and productivity.
Well. that is it.
Here’s the gist of this post:
Founders, in 2024, the way we work is changing. To attract top talent, prioritize employee wellbeing, specialized teams, competitive compensation, and innovative office design. Learn from examples like AccumTech—embracing continuous learning leads to a culture of innovation. Seize the opportunity to align with 2024 trends; your startup isn't just a workplace but a place for growth. The future of work is yours to shape.
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