Transcript: 7 Workplace Trends for 2024 // Al Lopus, Jay Bransford, Best Christian Workplaces

Flourishing Culture Leadership Podcast

“7 Workplace Trends for 2024“

January 1, 2024

Al Lopus, Robert Wachter, and Jay Bransford

Intro: Happy 2024, and welcome to the first podcast of the new year. As Christian leaders, you may be asking, “What are the trends that we'll see in 2024?” Well, in this annual episode, we highlight the workplace trends that we're anticipating for Christian-led workplaces in the new year.

Welcome: Welcome to the Flourishing Culture Leadership Podcast, your home for open, honest, and insightful conversations to help develop your leadership, your team, and build a flourishing workplace culture.

Al Lopus: Hello, I'm Al Lopus, the co-founder of the Best Christian Workplaces and author of the Road to Flourishing: Eight Keys to Boost Employee Engagement and Well-Being, which was a finalist in the Christian Book Awards. And I'm passionate about helping Christian leaders like you create engaged, flourishing workplaces.

I’m delighted to introduce our annual Christian “Workplace Trends” podcast. This year we’ll discuss seven key trends that we see for 2024.

But before we start, this episode is brought to you by Best Christian Workplaces, known as the go-to resource for Christian leaders who want to create engaged, flourishing workplaces.

Today we're announcing a new resource that’ll be available in a couple of weeks. It’s called the State of the Christian Workplace. The State of the Christian Workplace Report will provide highlights into the following areas including employee engagement and well-being, workplace culture, keys to creating flourishing workplace cultures, and changing trends. We believe the State of the Christian Workplace Report will be an essential resource for any Christian leader who wants to create a workplace that is truly flourishing. Stay tuned for further announcements.

And hello to our new listeners. We want to thank you for joining our audience going forward.

So let's go directly to today's podcast, hosted by BCW’s director of global marketing, Robert Wachter.

Robert Wachter: Well, hello, everybody. Welcome to the podcast today. My name is Robert Wachter. I'm the global-marketing director here at Best Christian Workplaces, and it's my pleasure to be your host for this very special episode of the Flourishing Culture Leadership Podcast.

So today we'll focus on workplace trends for Christian-led organizations in the year 2024. And as our workplace landscape continues to change, we want to look at these changes and what they mean for us as leaders, especially as we head into a new year, and what trends do you need to keep your eye on as you continue to lead your organization into the future. So to help us identify what we see as trends for the Christian-led workplace in 2024, I'm joined by Al Lopus, our co-founder and board chair at Best Christian Workplaces; and also, Jay Bransford, our president and chief executive officer. And they're going to lead us through this discussion.

Welcome to the podcast, Jay and Al. I'm looking forward to this discussion with you.

Jay Bransford: Thanks, Rob. It’s a pleasure to be back, and I think this is going to be a great conversation today.

Al: Yeah, Rob. And thanks for all you’re doing, and I’m looking forward to this.

Robert: Me, too. Welcome to the podcast.

So let's dive right into the content and look at our first trend, our first trend we're going to be talking about, clarifying Christian worldview in the Christian workplace. Incredibly important topic. So, Jay, I thought we'd start with you. Why do you think this is an especially relevant topic right now?

Jay: Yeah. Well, Rob, you know, in a world full of diverse ideologies, it's more important than ever now for Christian organizations to communicate a clear and compelling Christian worldview. This isn't just about having a faith statement; it's about making sure that every aspect of the Christian workplace aligns with biblical principles. From decision making and leadership to customer service and relationships, the question is, how does the way we do things as an organization properly represent a Christian worldview? And the reality is that employees are entering the Christian workplace with lower levels of biblical knowledge than we've seen in previous generations. So they have an incomplete idea or experience with what a Christian worldview might look like in different contexts. So it begs the question, how do we see organizations developing and practically living out a Christian worldview in the workplace?

Now, at Best Christian Workplaces, we believe it starts with leadership and how we lead as Christians. Leaders in Christian workplaces need to be explicit about their organization's biblical values and integrate them into their organizational culture. And this means prioritizing spiritual development as much as professional development, ensuring that employees not only grow in their skills, but also in their faith. Christian ministries and Christian-led organizations really need to consider how they can play a role in discipling their employees, especially as biblical knowledge in the workforce is diminishing. Indeed, it's about weaving faith into the fabric of daily work life.

And I can see how that could really set the tone for everything an organization does. Christian leaders have opportunities virtually every day to not only point out a value or a behavior that we want or expect or notice in others, but the Christian leader should go another step beyond that and point out why that value or behavior is important and even provide some biblical context behind it.

And, Rob, demonstrating a Christian worldview in the workplace goes beyond just our internal practices; it's also about how our Christian organizations interact with the world around us. For example, how do we treat those we serve? How do we handle negotiations? And in general, how do we go about fulfilling the mission of our organization on a daily basis with our customers and our vendors? All of these things, I think, can be demonstrated and experienced through the lens of a Christian worldview.

I'm remembering a recent podcast by Peter Greer, the president of HOPE International, and he said, “If it is an organizational goal to disciple our staff, we need to assign people and money to that end.” In fact, at HOPE International, they actually have a team assigned to this very purpose in their Christian microlending organization.

There are, I think, many Christian nonprofits that believe it's the church's responsibility to disciple others about a Christian worldview and that those of us in organizations outside of the church shouldn't really try to do so, and in a way, it may even distract our employees from doing productive work. But, really, as leaders in God's Kingdom, it is our role to invest in activities that express the broader Gospel of the Kingdom in the workplace.

So how do we accomplish this? Well, I'd say there are several approaches leaders can take to teach or impart to your staff about a Christian worldview. So, for example, for those maybe working in the field of education, the Colson Center provides programs that give students and teachers the knowledge and the skills to form their own Christian worldview. In other words, they're taught to be able to identify for themselves what a proper Christian worldview should be in various contexts of life. And for those of us in Christian ministries in general, I think it's important that our employees understand our organization's theological beliefs on important topics that are also culturally relevant. At Best Christian Workplaces, we strongly encourage that your organization's beliefs be clearly communicated to all staff. So some possible examples might be, does your organization have a belief about diversity or about the equality of humans, or a belief about women in leadership, or a belief about human sexuality, or a belief about how to handle disagreements or offenses or conflict? Those are all examples of values and expected behaviors within your organization that can be grounded in Scripture.

Now, many flourishing workplaces that we have the opportunities to serve offer biblical teaching, worship, and prayer at maybe weekly or monthly all-staff meetings. And while in some organizations these kinds of events might be maybe voluntary, they can still serve as yet another opportunity we have as Christian-led organizations to reinforce our beliefs and our values on a frequent ongoing basis.

And another thing we can do as leaders is to establish systems that help people discover their right role fit during each stage of their employee lifecycle. But this requires us to know what a person's giftings and skills and experience and passions are and how those things might relate to the needs and the roles within our organization. Of course, we begin to learn these things about our staff during interviews and in the hiring process as we discuss with these candidates our organization’s faith statements and our mission statement and our values. And we should continue to evaluate and discover each person's role and gifting fit throughout an employee's lifecycle to be sure that they're able to be fully engaged and in alignment with the mission and the goals of our organization.

So again, in summary, now more than ever, really, leaders must identify, communicate, and follow the organization's worldview. Leaders need to do this personally through their own words and their own actions, as well as in the organization's day-to-day work practices, which can include how the organization makes key decisions.

So, Rob, really, this is why we see a focus on developing and clarifying Christian worldview as a key trend for the Christian workplace in 2024 and beyond.

Robert: Wow. I love that, Jay. It sounds like it's really being the salt and light in every interaction with every customer and employee at every touchpoint, with the organization really reflecting that Christian worldview.

So, Al, this leads us to our next topic. Could you give us some insights on the next trend?

Al: Well, thanks, Rob. Yeah. Trend number two today is the great stay, you know, continued focus on engagement and well-being in Christian-led workplaces. And you've heard me say on this podcast many times that Christian-led organizations were experiencing the great resignation. And I repeatedly said the antidote for the great resignation is a flourishing workplace culture because highly engaged employees are less likely to leave an organization.

Now, after two years of the great resignation, experts are predicting that in 2024, it'll be the year of the great stay. And this means that more employees will be staying at their jobs rather than looking for new ones. And I think that's great news for all of us.

But let's look at some data. We love data. And what does the data tell us? Well, the number of people quitting their jobs has gone down. Data from the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics reports that job quit rates have significantly reduced from two years ago. In fact, November 2021 showed a record high of 6.3 million workers quitting their jobs in that month. And in 2023, the quit rates have reduced. Now, there are 3 million less people quitting their jobs each month now than at the peak. So we expect that the quit rate will continue to reduce even further in 2024.

And at the same time, you know, there are a lot of jobs that were open as well. So the number of job openings is still high, at about 9.5 million jobs open in September of 2023. But that's down from a high of over a million jobs more in January of 2021. So while at the high, there were, like, two open jobs for every person that quit, but now it's lower. Yet while the quit rate is lower, the job market is still robust, and unemployment, we predict, will continue below 4%.

So this trend is likely due to several factors. The first is improved employee engagement. And our research at Best Christian Workplaces shows that employees are now more engaged in their work than they were before the pandemic. And this is due to several factors, including increased flexibility, better benefits, and maybe even a greater focus on employee well-being.

The second is an economic uncertainty. And the economy is facing several challenges, including sharp increases in interest rates—and we've all experienced that—higher inflation, and supply-chain disruptions. And some leaders have the mantra “Stay alive till ’25,” because there's a concern about possible recession in 2024 that's causing employees to be more hesitant to leave their jobs for new ones.

Now so as we think about, “What's the biggest change in the last couple of years that's impacting employee engagement?” well, of our eight FLOURISH factors to boost employee engagement and well-being, rewarding compensation has increased in importance. Our data tells us this. And after a couple of years of price inflation, workers in Christian workplaces are feeling the pinch. And for the first time in decades, we've seen average pay increases go up. So we encourage our listeners to take this trend seriously. And if we want to keep retention low, then we have to take this seriously.

Recent surveys report that the average pay increases in ‘23 were up to 4.6% on average, and we expect these increases to drift down in 2024 to just under 4%. So there's a couple of things to consider. And all these issues have leaders continuing to focus on retention, productivity, mission traction, and organizational outcomes, and thus, the importance of employee engagement and well-being will continue to be one of the top three strategic issues for leaders in 2024.

Robert: Thank you, Al. I totally agree with that, that employee engagement, productivity, and staying focused on these factors in your workplace is critical. So this is something that we emphasize is addressed every single year. We went from a great resignation to a great stay, and all the while, engagement and retention and all of that is paramount every single year.

So, Jay, I'm interested in the next topic. What do you got for us?

Jay: Yeah. Thanks, Rob. So the next trend, trend number three, is the rise of generative artificial intelligence everywhere. And guess what, everyone; your employees are using artificial intelligence, whether you know it or not. AI and automation are already beginning to transform the workplace. AI is being used to automate tasks, to make decisions, to provide insights, and automation is being used to streamline processes and improve efficiencies. We really see in 2024 and beyond that we can expect to see AI and automation continue to have a major impact on the workplace. It's going to create new jobs, and it will also displace some existing jobs. So it's really important for employees to stay up to date on the latest AI and automation trends so that they can remain competitive in the job market.

But let's start by looking at some recent evidence about the use of AI, which I find fascinating. First, a recent study by Gartner found that 70% of organizations are already using some form of AI, 70%. And a recent survey by Deloitte found that 80% of top leaders believe that AI is essential to their organization's future success. Wow. That tells me that artificial intelligence is already a very significant trend in the workplace. Generative AI is really transforming the church and Christian nonprofit workplaces in several impactful ways.

And, you know, as scary as it may sound to some of you, generative AI can assist in the creation of sermons or newsletters or blog posts and social-media content, which allows church leaders and nonprofit workers to communicate their messages more efficiently and effectively. AI tools can automate administrative tasks such as scheduling, email responses, and database management, which frees up staff to focus on more mission-critical tasks such as community outreach and pastoral care. AI can also analyze data to help churches and nonprofits understand the needs and preferences of their congregation or stakeholders, which allows for personalized communication and services. AI-driven platforms can provide personalized learning experiences for Christian education, for staff training and skill development, all of which can be tailored to the individual's pace and learning style. AI can also enhance outreach efforts by optimizing fundraising campaigns, through predictive analytics, and creating more engaging, targeted approaches to potential donors. And finally, AI can assist in resource management, ensuring that nonprofits and churches use their funds, their time, and other resources in the most efficient manner possible.

Al, here at Best Christian Workplaces, we’ve actually begun to use AI to analyze employee responses to our open-ended Survey questions on our Employee Engagement Survey. But to ensure that we're following ethical practices, we've developed a formal policy in our employee policy manual on how AI can be used at Best Christian Workplaces.

For example, our policy requires our staff to remove all identifying markers of a ministry partner from their open-ended comments prior to us giving AI any of those comments to summarize. In other words, we're not sharing private information about one of our clients with AI that is in any way identifiable. Also, our AI policy requires our staff to include a note in our reports that indicates if and when we have used AI to generate a section of a report. So it's probably not surprising to hear that at Best Christian Workplaces, we recommend organizations to develop a policy with clear guidelines about how AI should be used in their organization, outlining acceptable practices and ethical considerations.

And really, we recommend four best practices for the use of artificial intelligence, which includes, number one, transparency. So that means we recommend that you're open about how your organization utilizes AI and, even more fundamentally, understanding and training your employees about how AI works and what data they're allowed to provide to AI and/or what data they're allowed to use from AI. A second best practice for the use of artificial intelligence that we recommend relates to privacy and data protection. We recommend that you ensure that personal data is collected, used, and stored responsibly. A third recommendation about the use of AI is to have standards and guidelines. We recommend that you develop and adhere to ethical guidelines specific to AI use and broadly communicate your standards. And lastly, we recommend employee training and awareness, which, really, just is recommending that you educate employees about the ethical implications of AI and train them in responsible use of it.

But, Rob, AI has arrived. It's already having significant impacts, and I'd say those impacts will likely grow exponentially in the years to come.

Robert: Yeah. I couldn’t agree with you more, Jay. It's something that's already here. And by all indications, as is expected with technology and artificial intelligence, it's going to continue to rapidly change and adapt. And so as employees and employers, it's a good idea to keep our eye on what's going on with AI and develop these processes, but to continue to keep these processes up to date as the technology and AI changes. So really fascinating insights, Jay. Thank you for that.

So we've got our fourth trend, Al. What's the fourth trend this year?

Al: Well, before we go into the fourth trend, I just want to eliminate any possible confusion because a capital A and a capital I, when you type it out, looks like “Al.” So please, you know, for our audience, please know that “AI” and “Al” are two different things.

Robert: Duly noted, Al.

Al: Yeah. Fascinating conversation. And yes, AI is really going to be a key issue in 2024.

But trend number four is we believe and project that there will be an increased focus on employee well-being in the Christian-led workplace. And with continued low unemployment, employers are increasingly recognizing the importance of employee well-being to productivity and engagement. And a recent survey by PwC found that, yes, 83% of CEOs believe that employee well-being is a strategic priority.

So why? Well, many believe the pandemic acted as a catalyst in highlighting the importance of mental health in the workplace, because we all remember the abrupt shift to remote work, the blurring of work-life boundaries, and the overall stress of living through a global health crisis led to an increase in reports of anxiety, depression, and burnout. And this is especially true for some of our frontline employees who didn't have the luxury of working from home, like rescue-mission workers working with the homeless. Well, also, there's a new group of employees, the Gen Z workers, and it's reported that they're more likely to be stressed, anxious, and lonely than other generations as they come into the workplace. So they're less likely to describe their mental health as excellent, for example, compared to millennials of the same age.

Well, many organizations have responded to this crisis by ramping up their own well-being initiatives. And so for our listeners, think about what might your well-being initiatives be. And people are acknowledging that supporting employee health is not only a moral and a spiritual imperative, but also critical to sustaining their operations.

So what's the trend? Well, employees who are well, both physically and mentally, are more productive and engaged. Well, that just makes a lot of sense. But here’s the beauty of Christian workplaces. We believe Christian workplaces have a unique opportunity to promote employee well-being by offering resources for spiritual growth and developing and encouraging employees to take care of their physical, spiritual, and mental health. So overall, the trends towards prioritizing employee well-being reflect a broader recognition of the human effort and element in work. And as we move forward, it's likely that employee well-being will continue to be an essential part of an organization's strategy.

So why will that be? Well, first of all, in our Engagement Survey, we ask our employees about their work-life balance. And this is one of the aspects of employee well-being. And this can include flexible work hours, remote options, and boundaries across and outside of work hours. But here is what we've discovered doing some of our discovery groups. Leaders take note. Like everything, it starts from the top. Employees often say their leaders encourage them to have boundaries between work and home life. However, it's the emails, texts, Teams and Slack messages, and other communication from leaders after hours and on weekends that cause some anxiety. And this subtly creates expectations and stress. So leaders practice what you preach.

Secondly, mental-health support. We've seen many more Christian workplaces provide access to counseling services, stress-management programs, and mental-health days overall. We've heard that in some of our podcasts. And of course, encouraging personal devotional practices and participation in Christian community and fellowship is an advantage that, again, Christian organizations have in this mental-health area. In fact, recent clinical studies examining the effects on depression and anxiety discovered that participants engaged in group prayer have lower rates of depression and anxiety. They experienced increased optimism compared to the control group that did not participate in group-prayer sessions. Another study highlighted that frequent private prayer is associated with significant benefits for depression, optimism, and coping with other mental-health conditions, including anxiety.

So for leaders, shepherding the flock that God has entrusted to them is a call for all of our Christian leaders. And I'll give you six quick ideas for leaders to support the well-being of their team. So, for example, spend regular time with your direct reports, showing concern for them. Invest in their development. Provide public feedback and recognition. Provide regular feedback. Facilitate team-building activities and create social events to strengthen relationships. All of these will help increase employee well-being.

So, Rob, we believe an increased focus on employee well-being will be a focus in 2024.

Robert: Incredible insights, Al. Thank you for that. I can't help but think of the Scripture where it says when you make your prayers and supplications known to God, He keeps you in peace. The Holy Spirit gives you peace. And so really important to encourage our employees to engage in prayer in all aspects of mental health. So what a privilege we have as Christian-led organizations to be able to provide that and encourage that with our employees.

So we do have a fifth trend. Jay, I can't wait to hear about the fifth trend that you have for us.

Jay: All right, Rob. Here it is. Trend number five is all about the continued rise of the gig economy. So for those of you who follow our annual podcast on workplace trends, you'll know that we've been talking about the gig economy for several years now. The gig economy has been growing steadily over the years, and several trends can be identified that describe its continued increase and projections for the next year, particularly as it pertains to the Christian workplace and beyond.

So what are the trends related to the gig economy? Here are six quick ones. First, there is an increase in digital marketplaces and platforms that facilitate gig work, which makes it easier for individuals to find and engage in short-term, flexible jobs. Another trend for the gig economy is that more workers are seeking flexibility in when and where they work, a desire that gig work can often fulfill well. And that desire for work flexibility can also align well with the Christian values of spending time with family and friends or with your community. A third trend related to the gig economy is that in times of economic uncertainty, both workers and employers may prefer gig arrangements that allow for more adaptable engagement with the labor market as demand for certain services ebbs and flows. That way, you don't have to lay off employees during slow periods, nor frantically look for new staff when work gets especially busy. A fourth trend with the gig economy is that workers are increasingly interested in diversifying their income sources to ensure financial stability, which gig work provides well. Fifth trend with gig work is that there's a trend toward workers developing highly specialized skills that they can market to a variety of employers on a project-by-project basis. And that ability to work with a variety of employers throughout the year really lends itself perfectly well to gig work. And finally, a sixth trend within the gig economy is that, again, these technologies and apps that support remote work are continuing to improve and becoming more widely available, making it easier for gig workers to offer their services from virtually anywhere in the world.

Some of you may know that I lived in Thailand for 15 years and returned to the States in 2020. Interestingly, Thailand has become one of the most popular countries in the world for nomadic gig workers to work from, because it’s a relatively cheap and nice place to live, and technology makes it possible to do gig work from Thailand just as well as about anywhere else.

So, Rob, let me add that from an employer standpoint, there are some additional reasons why Christian workplaces are exploring the expanded use of gig workers. And again, I have six examples here. One reason is gig workers can be more cost effective than full-time employees since employers don't have to provide traditional benefits or pay, or pay for unused downtime. Another reason why Christian workplaces may use gig workers is that hiring gig workers allows organizations to access specialized skills on an as-needed basis without committing to employing those people long term. Gig workers provide organizations with the ability to scale their workforce up or down quickly in response to workload fluctuations. A fourth reason here, gig workers often bring new ideas and innovative solutions to the organizations they work for, as they have varied experiences from working with many different clients. A fifth reason that employers like to use gig workers is that for Christian organizations, gig workers who share their values can be brought on for specific projects without needing a long-term commitment, while still ensuring alignment with the organization's mission and ethical standards. And lastly, hiring locally for gigs can support the local economy and contribute to community development, which aligns with Christian principles of stewardship and service.

So, Rob, as the gig economy evolves, it's likely that these trends will become more and more pronounced, and Christian organizations will increasingly recognize the value that gig workers can bring, especially when their employment is in harmony with the organization's values and mission.

Robert: Thank you, Jay. This sounds like yet another trend that it's going to continue to grow and something that we have to keep our eye on as employers bringing on these gig skilled workers. So with that, I guess I would underscore the importance of communicating and instilling the values and mission of your organization. This is so important to do that, especially as we have more and more gig workers part of our culture. And so if you want your gig workers to understand and contribute to the mission of your organization, you have to articulate that. So even if gig workers are only with your organization for a short season, you do want your gig workers to understand and contribute to the mission of your organization. So we at Best Christian Workplaces, we also use gig workers to extend skill sets in certain times, in certain disciplines, where we need that extra help.

So, Al, we do have a sixth important trend to look at in 2024. What do you got for us for the sixth trend?

Al: Well, Rob, we couldn't end this podcast without the whole discussion around full-time, remote, or hybrid workplaces. So the trend number six is the reduction of full-time remote work. And the current trend regarding remote, hybrid, or full-time in-office work is there's a clear shift towards hybrid work environments and also towards being in the office more. So this trend is driven by a number of factors, including, well, of course, it all started with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the pandemic forced many organizations to adopt remote work arrangements for the first time. And this led to the realization that, well, maybe remote work can be productive and effective. In fact, we saw that for the first time. And employees, of course, loved the value of flexibility that it offers.

But also, the technology advances have made it easier than ever for employees to work remotely. This includes the widespread availability of Cloud-based applications and collaborative tools, as well as the increasing use of video conferencing. And employees increasingly prefer the flexibility and work-life balance that remote work offers. A recent study of Gallup found that 65% of workers want to work remotely all of the time, while 32% prefer a hybrid schedule.

Well, however, on the other hand, there are some conflicts. What leaders want and what employees want might not be the same. And in fact, they aren't the same, based on the research. Leaders are often concerned about the potential for decreased productivity and collaboration in the remote work environment, maybe even a lack of innovation. They may also worry about the loss of company culture and the difficulty of managing a remote workforce. And according to a recent survey, there's a growing gap between the preferences of senior leaders and employees regarding remote and hybrid work arrangements. Senior leaders generally prefer their staff work collaboratively in an office environment, and only 10% of senior leaders seem to express a preference for full-time remote work.

Well, so, employees, on the other hand, are primarily concerned about having the flexibility to work when and where they're most productive. And they also value the ability to avoid commuting and to take more time for personal and family life. And I think all of us understand that.

Well, in summary, while leaders may lean toward office collaboration, employees increasingly value the flexibility of benefits of hybrid work arrangements. And striking the right balance is crucial for organizational success in the evolving work landscape.

So, there are clearly exceptions, of course, to this, and BCW is one of them. And for some, technology advances have enabled organizations to recruit truly exceptional people who don't live nearby each other. And for these generally smaller organizations, they've figured out how to have a flourishing workplace by intentionally bringing people together at different times throughout the year and fostering regular, healthy communication in between. But overall, we see more of a move away from full-time remote work and that employers will continue to use incentives to move hybrid and more in-person work arrangements into the future. So that's a trend that we see for 2024.

Robert: Thank you, Al. I can attest to that trend operating here at Best Christian Workplaces. In fact, since the pandemic and our visibility into some of these struggles and issues and the tension there, we've added a special set of questions on our Employee Engagement Survey in the demographic section of our Survey that focuses on in-person, hybrid, and remote workers. So you can gain some clear insights there on how these different work arrangements might be impacting your culture. So this is just another way that our Survey can help provide those insights to you to create a flourishing workplace culture.

Okay. So there is another trend, and this is our seventh and final trend here today. So Jay, what is the last trend that we are keeping an eye on right now for the year 2024?

Jay: Okay, Rob. We're going to wrap up our 2024 workplace trends with trend number seven, which is having a greater emphasis on purpose and meaning at work. And we are really seeing the desire for meaning and purpose in work as a strong, growing trend among employees in Christian workplaces. So what are some of the key reasons why employees are increasingly seeking meaning and purpose in their work? I'm going to provide three of those reasons right now.

First is we're seeing changing values and priorities in our culture. So in previous generations, work was often seen as a means to an end, a way to earn a living and support a family. And now that many employees are millennials, with a growing group of Gen Z, they are more likely to view work as an integral part of their overall life satisfaction. They want to feel that their work is meaningful and that it contributes to something larger than themselves. So that's one reason we're seeing a higher focus on meaning and purpose. The second reason is we're seeing increased awareness of social-justice issues in society. So employees of today are far more aware of the social and environmental challenges that are facing the world than ever before. And as a result, they're much more likely to want their work to have a positive impact on those challenges in the world. So they're looking for employers who are committed to equity, to sustainability, to social justice, and to ethical practices. And a third reason why meaning and purpose is so important today is that there's a heightened sense of self-awareness in people. So employees are more aware of their own values and strengths and interests than they may have been in the past. They want to work in environments that align with their personal values and that provide opportunities for them to use their skills and talents in meaningful ways.

So Christian employers who can successfully foster a sense of meaning and purpose at work can reap several benefits, including, one is increased employee engagement and motivation because employees who feel that their work is meaningful, we know, are much more likely to be engaged and motivated. And they're also likely to take pride in their work and go the extra mile. At Best Christian Workplaces, we've really been encouraged to see employee engagement in Christian workplaces improve significantly over the last 10 years. Second reason why employers can reap benefits from focusing on sense of meaning and purpose is that it creates an improved employee retention. So employees who feel valued and that they're making an important difference in the world through their work are much more likely to stay with those organizations. This can help, obviously, to reduce turnover, and of course, it saves organizations lots of money on recruitment and training costs. We also see focusing on sense of meaning and purpose having the benefit of enhancing employee creativity and innovation because employees who feel connected to and passionate about their work are more likely to be creative and innovative. They're also more likely to come up with new ideas and solutions to problems. Meaning and purpose also just creates a stronger employer brand overall. So organizations that are known for fostering a sense of meaning and purpose are more likely to attract and retain top talent. They're also more likely to be seen as socially responsible and ethical businesses. So the fostering a sense of meaning and purpose for your staff creates a strong brand image that people want to come work for.

So you might be wondering, “How do I create a sense of meaning and purpose for my staff?” If so, here are a few ideas. First, try aligning an individual's work with your company's mission and values. So help each employee understand how their work contributes to the overall company's mission and values. And this can be done in the onboarding process, and through training and through frequent and focused communication by supervisors, and ongoing employee-recognition programs. You can also create that sense of meaning and purpose by providing opportunities for your staff for growth and development. So encourage and support employee growth and development through offering training, mentorship, and providing career-advancement opportunities. You can also create a culture of feedback and recognition that drives a sense of meaning and purpose. And that might look like encouraging regular two-way feedback between employees and their supervisors, and encouraging your supervisors to formally and informally recognize their staff to help them feel valued and appreciated. You can empower your employees to make decisions when appropriate. Give employees the autonomy to make decisions and take ownership of their work. This can help them feel more engaged and motivated. We can also encourage service, volunteering, and even philanthropy. So looking to provide opportunities for employees to volunteer their time and talents to support local communities and causes that they care about can really help them feel connected to something larger than themselves.

So again, Rob, by implementing these kinds of strategies, employers can create a more meaningful and fulfilling work environment for their employees. And this not only benefits the employees themselves, but it also helps organizations to attract and retain top talent and to improve employee productivity and even enhance their overall reputation.

Robert: Well, there you have it, gentlemen, seven important trends as we look into 2024. And, you know, this really says to me there's just endless amounts of opportunity to keep growing and learning as leaders, and staying on top of what's going on in our workplace environments. So as we've concluded those seven really insightful trends, Al, I'd love to hear if you have any final thoughts to share as we wrap up.

Al: Well, here's a final thought, and I think about this economically in many ways. You know, personally, I'm optimistic about 2024. And from an economic standpoint, well, this is an election year, a presidential election year, and usually, the incumbent president will try to stimulate the economy to boost the chances of reelection. And studies by the Brookings Institute and the Federal Reserve show that GDP is generally higher and unemployment is generally lower in election years. So given this backdrop, I believe our listeners will not experience big disruptions caused by what many have talked about a much-discussed recession, so thus, allowing leaders to focus on their mission and impact and by building the strength of their workplace culture so that they can position it for a flourishing future. So that's my thought about 2024.

Robert: Thank you so much. How about you, Jay? Any final thoughts?

Jay: Yeah. You know, Rob, every year, as we prepare to talk about these trends for the year ahead, I'm reminded of the fact that while many things in the world of work around us remain the same over time, it's really fascinating to reflect on the vast number of things that are indeed changing and oftentimes changing rapidly. I'm also reminded that while some of these changes we can successfully predict to a degree—and that's kind of what Al and I are trying to do here—there are many other changes that none of us see coming. And no matter how well we predict the changes that are coming, all of the changes, whether we anticipated them or not, can have a potential significant impact on our employees and our customers and our organization, including affecting our organizational culture and our effectiveness and our results. So to me, with that in mind, it just underscores for me the strategic imperative of collecting annual data about our workplace and our organizational culture and our employee experience. We all know as leaders that it's difficult, if not impossible, to lead and manage things that we can't or don't measure. So I, personally, applaud each and every leader out there who proactively seeks to frequently measure how their organization is doing, which, of course, includes conducting an annual Employee Engagement Survey. Having that data in hand allows leaders to make critical decisions that drive engagement, organizational health, and results. And it's all related to changes that are going on over time.

Robert: Hm. Thank you, Jay. Indeed, many changes and many insights to consider. Thank you, Jay, thank you, Al, so much for your insights. As we head into what is, hopefully, a productive and blessed 2024, I want to say to our listeners, we hope today's episode has inspired you to integrate these trends into your own workplace culture. Remember, the work you do every day is a form of worship—it's worshiping God—and your workplace is a field of mission. Thank you for tuning in, and may your culture flourish.

Al: At Best Christian Workplaces, we’re committed to serving more flourishing, Christian-led workplaces every year. If this information is helpful to you, think about other leaders you can share this podcast with. And if you want to learn more about how Best Christian Workplaces can help you create a flourishing workplace, go to www.workplaces.org.

Outro: The Flourishing Culture Leadership Podcast is sponsored by Best Christian Workplaces. If you need support building a flourishing workplace culture, please visit workplaces.org for more information.

We'll see you again next week for more valuable content to help you develop strong leaders and build a flourishing workplace culture.

Al: Next week, we'll be hosting a conversation with Tim Elmore, author of The Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership.