The workplace trends and labor market priorities that defined 2024 are set to shape key imperatives for 2025. The ever-evolving employment landscape requires company leaders to remain agile and responsive to numerous factors. The Society for Human Resource Management has identified 10 trends and predictions that have not only shaped HR departments this year but may also drive significant changes in the future.
![Infographic detailing 2024 HR trends and 2025 predictions with sections on election impacts, regulatory changes, workplace civility, labor market, AI, employee experience, inclusion, leadership, flexibility, and PR.
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2024 HR TRENDS AND 2025 PREDICTIONS
1. 2024 Election Impacts HR.
The U.S. presidential election was a source of stress, discord, and distraction for workplaces nationwide this year, but its impact isn’t over yet. Look for the next presidential election to bring significant regulatory changes in 2025, which could require HR departments to adopt new tactics.
2. Courts Remake Regulatory Landscape.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Lopez Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo gave courts greater discretion to strike down regulatory and some lower court opinions in early 2024. Expect the impact of this decision to increase in 2025, as rulemaking may become more complicated and legal challenges to existing laws may become more common.
3. Civility Is in Crisis.
Acts of incivility significantly eroded workplace productivity in 2024, as political disagreements became a major organizational issue, and as the benefits of tolerance, civility, and civil discourse become more widely recognized. Expect this problem to persist into 2025.
4. The Labor Market Finally Softens.
Organizations finally started to see signs that the historically tight post-pandemic labor market was becoming less intense in 2024. But HR departments should expect competition for the most in-demand skills to remain fierce in 2025, which will prompt some organizations to focus on retaining and upskilling existing workers to gain necessary skills.
5. AI Comes to a Crossroads.
Business interest in artificial intelligence tools was hotter than ever in 2024, as organizations became progressively serious about integrating AI into their workflows. But HR departments will need to ensure that adoption of AI tools enhances the value of their existing workforce in 2025 by finding ways to elevate human skills and drive both productivity and creativity.
6. Employee Experience Becomes a Strategic Edge.
Organizations looking to enhance employee retention and productivity are going beyond tracking employee engagement and looking at employee experience, the manner in which workers interact with their workplace. In 2025, organizations will invest in tools that equip them to track and enhance the employee experience.
7. Companies Rethink Their Approach to I&D.
Organizations’ efforts to enhance inclusion and diversity (I&D) were in flux during 2024, as many examined new approaches to scaling back, or eliminating I&D programs. But don’t expect I&D to completely fade away in 2025, as organizations examine the most effective practical approaches to driving measurable I&D improvement.
8. C-Suites Evolve to Meet New Challenges.
The composition of the C-suite is evolving in reaction to pressures that have made some organizations’ top ranks stale, while many of the core tenets of the C-Suite have become more diverse. In 2025, organizations should continue to adapt as new leadership roles emerge to help C-suites embrace an increasingly volatile business environment.
9. Flexibility Is in Flux.
Two trends converged in 2024: Some organizations started backing away on past promises to provide employees greater scheduling flexibility, while others experienced an increasing demand for acceptable workspaces. As more women increase their address family care needs, become more common. Look for HR leaders to find new and innovative ways to meet employee demand for flexibility in 2025 as companies work to support the collaborative atmosphere organizations need.
10. PR Comes to HR.
Several organizations introduced more sophisticated ways of blending internal HR policies and decisions with PR tactics and tools in 2024. Employees expected their companies to take a stand on certain key issues and increasingly paid attention to the tone. HR carefully gauged the influences of and crafted boundaries around HR and PR in hopes of luring premier brand stronger in 2025.
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