WORKPLACE TRENDS FOR 2025

HOW THE FUTURE OF WORK HAS

CHANGED SINCE COVID-19
INTRODUCTION

The global pandemic of 2020 has fundamentally

shifted how we work, accelerating trends that were
shaping our companies and creating lasting changes
for the workplace of the future.

Prior to 2020, companies were working to address an

accelerating pace of change in just about every facet of
business, from the globalization of markets to increased
speed of technology, diversity of competition, changing
customer demands, and shifting employee requirements.

Overnight, what we thought we understood about the

workplace was turned on upside down. While we’ve
worked through the chaos, early indicators show that
change is just getting started.

WE MUST SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY

TO PREPARE NOW
WORKPLACE TRENDS FOR 2025

[
Companies who succeed in the
[
future will be those who build a
culture of innovation & agility.

LOCAL GLOBALIZATION OMNIPRESENT WORKFORCE

ECOSYSTEM COLLAPSE MANAGEMENT RESKILL

REPUTATION OVER REVENUE CAREER PATHING RESHAPED

ANALYTIC CAPACITY WHOLE PERSON EMPLOYMENT

DIVERSIFIED POWER INNOVATION & AGILITY

 LOCAL GLOBALIZATION

While globalization connections continue to be important, companies have slowed expanding

their footprints around the world. They are looking more toward partnerships and collaborations
than expansion, while the pandemic has recentered companies on their local market.

• What do local customers need?

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• What do local employees expect?

• How do we positively contribute
to the local community?
Over the next few years, we will see this
focus on local over global continue, as each
industry, ecosystem and community work
to determine the best path forward into a
new way of working.

[ “Technology will accelerate companies’

ability to get closer to their markets, to
understand the needs and wants of their
[
customers, partners and employees.”
 ECOSYSTEM COLLAPSE

The pandemic accelerated to trend of industry ecosystems collapsing and changing from their
once, relatively steady state.
Given the shift to smaller, leaner, and more agile employee groups working with large amounts
of data, companies will find value in partnering closely with competitors to deliver a unique,
yet superior product or service.
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Toyota, for example, could see Uber as a competitor in the development of the self-driving car.
They have partnered to bring the best of both companies to the market and develop an electric,
driverless shuttle that will support companies like Amazon, Pizza Hut and more.

America’s pharmaceutical companies are partnering in unprecedented ways, at an

unprecedented speed, to develop therapies and vaccines in response to COVID-19. At the
same time, those companies continue to compete fiercely in other pharmaceutical arenas.
 REPUTATION OVER REVENUE

Over the past several years, we have seen reputation growing in importance as a leading
indicator sales, revenue and profitability. The global pandemic and social movement of
2020 have accelerated the pace of that change, with more and more companies realizing
the importance of proactively managing their reputation.
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VALUES STATEMENT
Employees, customers and investors
want social responsibility, environmental
accountability and increasingly social
activism before they associate with a
company. With the increase in social
media use, online activism and a
PAPRIKA SAUCE
growing realization in the power of
an individual’s voice, companies who
proactively manager their reputations
will be best positioned for the future.

FAIR & LOVELY

[ “76% of CEOs said they had a personal responsibility

to be a leader for change on societal issues.”
(KPMG 2020 CEO outlook)
[
 ANALYTIC CAPACITY

In 2020, every industry was challenged to quickly and

efficiently gather, analyze and make sense of disparate
data from a range of sources.
While this trend has been developing, it has been
accelerated and companies in industries who have felt
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isolated from the need for internal analytic capacity

were revealed.
Companies who quickly gather information, test new
ideas, track effect, learn from failures and generalize
successes will shorten scalability curves and increase
customer intimacy. Analytic capacity will be a
differentiator across industries broadly in the future.

[ 77% of CEOs say they’re worried they

wont have the inhouse creativity needed
to face future disruptions. (paycor)
[

[ Data scientists have been the fastest growing

in demand & salaries in the last 2 years.
(https://insights.dice.com/2020/02/13/fastest-growing-tech-
[
occupations-data-scientist-engineer/)
 DIVERSIFIED POWER

With the majority of office employees working remotely, and expected to continue working
remotely, at least part of the time, the questions that used to indicate power in the organization
no longer matter.
• Do you share a coffee pot, or cafeteria, with key leaders?
• Do you have a cubicle or an office with a door?
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• How close to the executive floor do you work?

Virtual work, coupled with the social movement

of 2020, have leveled the playing field. Employees
closest to the customer, who understand how to
interpret customer data and needs, have been
elevated in importance. The need for sharp, fast
insight to be agile and adjust to the ever-changing
situation around you, has created a need for
companies to reduce layers of unnecessary people
who can create delays, mis-characterize the data
or worse spin it to their own narrative.

EMPLOYEES ARE ASKING

FOR MORE POWER —
AND COMPANIES ARE
SEEING THE VALUE IN
GIVING IT TO THEM
 OMNIPRESENT WORKFORCE

Employees who leverage technology can work

anywhere, anytime, reducing their reliance on
any one company and increasing the
competition for their skills.
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Further, they’ve proven they can do it effectively

in 2020. The once small group of early adopter
employees who were curious about virtual work,
and willing to test it out has now grown into a
population of employees who know they can do
it successfully. Companies have been propelled
5 years in the future and need to directly address
employee desires to work in more flexible ways.

[ PRE-COVID 19
Remote workers comprise 18% of U.S. workforce,
a figure projected to rise to 30% by 2025. (10)
[
[ POST-COVID 19
94% organizations utilize remote workers, with 62%
believing they will be even more remote.
[
(Upwork)

[
60% respondents want some flexibility in
[
where and / or when they work in the future.
(BCG)
 MANAGEMENT RESKILL

For decades we have witnessed the unproductive practice of companies promoting their best and
brightest technicians into management roles. While the practice is unproductive on many levels,
it has been slow to evolve — at least until 2020.
In many cases, 2020 has forced managers into the future. Overnight, they took on a role of leading
diverse, remote teams across a range of priorities. As we continue int the future, the manager’s
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role will continue look different with less formal power (see Diversified Power) and a greater need
to support a diverse, fluid, intertwined group of employees working on discrete projects in rapid
succession (see Omnipresent Workforce). Companies who adjust and reskill their managers will
lead the pack.

[ As Hay states, “They (leaders) will need to be tuned to

their employees’ needs… a single rallying cry to the
workforce will no longer suffice.” (14)
[
[ “In the future, companies will need to identify and
staff superstars into their mission critical roles —
changing the path of career development and leaving
[
management work to ‘expert managers’.” (3)
 CAREER PATHING RESHAPED

For many employees, development and advancement in their career will require learning
new skills, shifting roles and learning to work with machines. People development and
engagement will take place before, during and after employment.
Companies who see talent as the greatest risk to growth, increased from 2% in 2019 to 21%
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in August 2020 (KPMG CEO outlook).

Just in HR alone, HR executives expect HR roles to fundamentally change (Source: Paycor:
The Future of HR 2020 Report).
• 47% expect HR to become more strategic and more data-driven
• 82% expect soft skills to become more important

[ 70% of executives expect to use more

temporary workers and contractors
within 2 years. (Mckinsey)
[
Simultaneously, shifts in employee demands and desires foreshadow that employees will be more
comfortable demanding that they continue to work where and how they get most satisfaction, as
money, prestige and title will no longer be essential factors in viewing individual self-worth. Thus,
companies will need to attract, train and retain a diverse, loose network of highly skilled, highly
adaptable employees, contractors and alumni with strong interpersonal and analytical skills.
 WHOLE PERSON EMPLOYMENT

Just as healthcare has become more patient-centric, the workplace is becoming

more employee-centric.

[
[
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PRE-COVID 19
85% of respondents believed work and life
will become enmeshed by 2030. (11)

[ POST-COVID 19
Work-life balance, and managing the
home environment remain challenges
[
for employees. (Aspirant)

2020 caused many employees to rethink how, and why they work. The pandemic and social
movement amplified a longing by many employees to find greater balance (in many cases
working from home forced this reflection).
Employees want to work on exciting and rewarding projects, choosing happiness over
money. [11] Soft factors like recognition, self development, self direction, values-driven
engagement and work-life balance take precedence over pay and promotion. [14]
 INNOVATION & AGILITY

The speed of change requires us to not only meet it quickly but to be in a perpetual state of
agility or ‘readiness for change’. We learned that lesson in 2020, in the importance of being able
to pivot how we work overnight and in the ability to remain focused and productive as heightened
uncertainty swirls around us.
Technology will continue to drive innovation. In a recent survey, CEOs revealed they are choosing
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to accelerate technology related initiatives post COVID (Source: mckinsey).

• 85% accelerating Digitization efforts
• 67% accelerating automation & AI projects
• 71% accelerating climate change initiatives

Companies who succeed in the future will be those

who build a culture of innovation & agility —
where employees regardless of function or
department test and experiment with new ideas,
continuously seeking a better, more efficient way.

[ 2 out of 3 CEOs believe agility is the

new business currency. (Upwork)
[
WHAT YOU CAN DO

The issues of today are loud and unyielding, however, it’s important
to carve out time to plan for the future. As the uncertainty of the
pandemic carries on, employees are becoming increasingly

concerned about what the future holds for them. They are seeking
clarity on a path forward, they are ready to learn new skills and
excited about the possibilities of new ways of working.

[ The longer employees stay in the dark —

unclear of the future and unable to control their
roles in it — the more likely top performers look
[ Gather your leadership team, develop a plan
for building internal capability and a roadmap for

future success.
for more prosperous, stable alternatives.

THREE THINGS YOU CAN DO TOMORROW

1 Strengthen your leader team’s

transformation leadership skills
2 Build a culture of agility across the
organization to support future shifts 3 Develop a roadmap to shift HR
process and management system
of support the future of work

ASPIRANT CAN HELP YOU

• 3-factor Transformational Leadership capability assessment
LEADERSHIP SKILLS • Modular, customized leadership training & coaching
• Capability development progress scorecard

• Culture assessment
CULTURE OF AGILITY • 8 element culture building plan
• Culture listening strategy & pulse surveys

• Holistic OE assessment
OE ROADMAP • Visibility to actions and progress across all OE elements
• Interactive OE dashboard for progress tracking and planning
REFERENCES
1) ACCENTURE FUTURE OF WORK:
https://www.accenture.com/us-en/future-workforce-
index?c=us_us_futureworkforce_10157298&n=psgs_generic_phrase_future_of_work_0118&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6vX5kqWS2QIVRrjAC
h1bIwGsEAAYASAAEgKmc_D_BwE

2) ASPIRANT PREPARING YOUR ORGANIZATION FOR 2030 (2018):

https://agile.thinkaspirant.com/survey/344f9201-d9d7-4ee8-879e-3a903c196dd7

info@Aspirant.com | ASPIRANT.COM
3) BAIN FIRM OF THE FUTURE:
http://www.bain.com/publications/articles/firm-of-the-future.aspx
4) BAIN LABOR 2030: THE COLLISION OF DEMOGRAPHICS, AUTOMATION AND INEQUALITY:
http://www.bain.com/publications/articles/labor-2030-the-collision-of-demographics-automation-and-inequality.aspx
PL SO
5) BCG POP MEGATRENDS:
https://www.bcg.com/publications/2017/people-organization-strategy-twelve-forces-radically-change-organizations-work.aspx
EA ME
6) BCG OFFICE DESIGN:
https://urbanland.uli.org/industry-sectors/office/designing-collaboration-bcgs-collisioncoefficient/

7) BLOOMBERG SKILLS GAP REPORT (2016):

SE A
https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2016-job-skills-report/

8) DELOITTE TRENDS 2018:

https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/focus/tech-trends/2018/no-collar-
CH RE
workforce.html?id=us:2ps:3gl:confidence:eng:cons:120617:em:dup1157:z2MktiBl:1083089587:244787608219:b:RLSA_Tech_Trends:No
_Collar_Workplace_BMM:nb
9) GALLUP HOW MILLENNIALS WANT TO WORK AND LIVE (2016):
EC DE
http://news.gallup.com/businessjournal/191435/millennials-work-life.aspx
10) GUARDIAN WORKPLACE BENEFITS STUDY (2017):
K AD
https://www.guardiananytime.com/gafd/wps/portal/fdhome/insights-perspectives/emerging-trends/human-captial-management-
technology
LIN .
11) GENESIS RESEARCH REPORT:
http://www.cbre.co.jp/AssetLibrary/CBRE_Genesis_FAST_FORWARD_Workplace_2030_Exec_Summary_E.PDF
12) GREAT PLACES TO WORK 2030 WORKPLACE:
KS
https://www.greatplacetowork.com/blog/250-the-global-workplace-of-2030

13) GUARDIAN:
.
https://www.guardiananytime.com/gafd/wps/portal/fdhome/insights-perspectives/emerging-trends/top-4-workforce-
trends?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_NrV5PGT2QIVlluGCh1aAgvAEAAYAiAAEgIImPD_BwE
14) HAYGROUP MEGATRENDS FOR 2030:
http://www.haygroup.com/leadership2030/about-the-megatrends.aspx

15) IPSY — Beauty Subscriptions are a Tough Racket, but Ipsy is Sitting Pretty:
http://fastcompany.com/3068822/beauty-subscriptions-are-a-tough-racket-but-ipsy-is-sitting-pretty

16) MARRIOTT — Marriott International’s AI-powered Chatbots on Facebook Messenger and Slack, and Aloft’s ChatBotlr, Simplify Travel
for Guests Throughout Their Journey:
http://news.marriott.com/2017/09/marriott-internationals-ai-powered-chatbots-facebook-messenger-slack-alofts-chatbotlr-simplify-
travel-guests-throughout-journey/
17) MCKINSEY'S OUTLOOK FOR 2030:
https://www.mckinsey.com/global-themes/future-of-organizations-and-work/what-thefuture-of-work-will-mean-for-jobs-skills-and-
wages
18) PWC REPORT ON 2030 WORLD OF WORK:
https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/services/people-organisation/publications/workforce-of-the-future.html
19) SIOP:
http://www.siop.org/article_view.aspx?article=1766&utm_source=SIOP&utm_medium=Website&utm_campaign=Web%20Article&ut
m_content=Web%20Article
20) STITCHFIX — How This Millennial Founder Created a $730 Million F ashion Startup — With the Help of an Algorithm:
https://inc.com/magazine/201710/jeff-bercovici/stitch-fix-katrina-lake.html
ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

Judy Johnson, PhD

VP & Director, OE
judy.johnson@aspirant.com

Judy Johnson is Aspirant’s Vice President and Director of the Organizational Effectiveness practice.
She brings deep expertise and creative ideas to solve organizational effectiveness issues and closely
collaborates in a way that builds internal capabilities. Judy has spent over 25 years consulting in a
variety of industries, bringing her expertise in behavior to a wide range of organizational issues
including organizational behavior change, leadership, change management, culture, and engagement.

Lindsey Whiteside, SHRM-CP

HR Imagined Lead
lindsey.whiteside@aspirant.com

Lindsey Whiteside is an results-oriented HR professional with a passion for enhancing the employee
experience. She supports clients in a variety of industries in the areas of employee relations and
engagement, compliance and risk mitigation, and general HR project management. Lindsey's goal is to
cultivate a workplace that inspires respect and empowerment, encourages creativity and accountability,
and champions the development of employees.

If you would like to learn more about Aspirant’s expertise in organizational

effectiveness that improves workplace performance and business results,
visit us on the web at www.aspirant.com/oe-resources.

ABOUT ASPIRANT
Aspirant is an innovative, values-driven global management consulting and technology firm. We utilize integrated expertise to
drive business strategy and transformation across Organizational Effectiveness, Marketing & Innovation, Mergers & Acquisitions,
Operations, Technology, Digital, and Program and Project Leadership. We are differentiated by our lean teams of experienced
consultants, our innovative model fueled by leading-edge technology, our close partnerships with clients, and our commitment
to client capability and sustained success.

info@Aspirant.com | ASPIRANT.COM