When it comes to navigating the workplace in 2016, the news is, well, pretty positive. Employers will award slightly bigger raises, recruit more aggressively and warm up to flexible work environments, experts say.
“I think it’s going to be a pretty good year,” says Kerry Chou, compensation practice leader at WorldatWork, a nonprofit human resources association based in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Some changes in 2016 will be spurred by developing technologies. Others may parrot the trends in Silicon Valley. A few may result from an improving economy.
Here’s what to expect in your office this year.
1. You could pay more for health care. This development isn’t totally new, but expect it to continue into 2016, says Jennifer Schramm, manager of workforce trends at the Society for Human Resource Management, based in Alexandria, Virginia.
Employers expect health care costs to rise approximately 4.5 percent this year, according to several surveys. And that’s after making benefits changes in an effort to tackle those rising bills.
But don’t expect the boss to shoulder those increased costs alone. “More and more organizations — when they find health care costs going up — they pass some of those along to the employees,” Schramm says.
2. You may get a raise. Employers are digging their way past the Great Recession, and raises are slowly catching up. “Pay increases are still occurring, but they’re not at the level that they were before the recession yet,” Chou says. Workers should expect an increase around 3.1 percent this year, Chou says.
If you’re hoping for a bigger salary boost, aim to be the company superstar. Raises for top performers could reach around 4.5 percent, Chou says.
3. You might be courted by a job recruiter. Employers are hiring again, and they’re looking for the perfect match. Expect a “stepped-up competition for talent,” Schramm says.
Starting in 2016, recruiters looking to find job candidates through LinkedIn Recruiter tools will have even more powerful search functions at their disposal, according to U.S. News careers blogger Arnie Fertig, founder and CEO of Jobhuntercoach. “Search functionality will be turned upside down,” he writes.
Keep in mind, though, that the most love will go to a small pool of people with in-demand skills, education and work history. So, if you’re among the chosen few, you could receive job offers even when you’re not searching. If you’re not, you’ll still need to pound the pavement and actively search for new opportunities.
4. You may welcome Generation Z. If you thought Millennials were babies, wait until you meet these youngsters, who are roughly the same age as the reality television show “The Real World.”
Generation Z — born between 1990 and 1999 — may be green, but they’ll bring fresh skills to the workplace. Baby boomers may be able to learn something from Gen Z workers — and vice versa, Schramm says.
5. You could dodge the performance review. If you’re one of those workers who dreads the annual performance evaluation, with its awkward feedback and calls for self-reflection, you may be in luck in 2016.
“With the performance-review process, more and more companies are looking for an alternative,” Schramm says.
Performance ratings, where the quality of an employee’s work is denoted with a grade, are falling out of favor at some workplaces, too. “There’s been some movement, and some companies are exploring or experimenting with going away from performance ratings,” Chou says.
Instead, experts say, the move is toward more regular and informal feedback, where managers and employees address performance issues organically, not on a rigid schedule.
6. You may sit through some new seminars. Employee wellness initiatives are expanding. For example, in 2016, you and your co-workers may attend workshops on financial wellness, says Lenny Sanicola, benefits senior practice leader at WorldatWork.
“People are really concerned about finances, and so employers are spending a bit more time on: ‘How can we get more people — both young and old — better prepared?'” Sanicola says. These initiatives may include anything from seminars on 529 college savings and estate planning to classes on how to climb out of debt.
Workplace security may also get extra attention this year, Schramm says. Such workshops may touch on data breaches, workplace violence, disaster planning and navigating political and social instability in a global marketplace.
7. You could earn more flexibility. The range of flexible workplace options will continue to grow, Sanicola says. Workers will continue to request full-time virtual work or occasional telecommuting. Some may be in and out of the office, sometimes stopping by to dock their laptops and attend a meeting, sometimes working at home. Other employees may be able to stagger work hours to better accommodate their schedules. Some flexible initiatives may even encourage older employees to stay in the workforce longer, Schramm says.
All this change may seem exhausting, but keeping an open mind will help workers successfully navigate the 2016 work environment. Says Sanicola: “Hopefully, employers are doing their job to keep people engaged, but if not, make sure that you ask the right questions.” After all, it’s your career.
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7 Workplace and Employment Trends to Anticipate in 2016 originally appeared on usnews.com
