Employee Engagement Trends in 2024: AI, Flexibility, & More

With so many changes in the world and the workplace, it’s no wonder that employees are increasingly disengaging from work, quiet quitting, or even entirely resigning from their jobs. 

And while no one can control what’s happening in the world, companies must take conscious control of their unhealthy practices and toxic company culture. 

Staying on top of the most recent employee engagement trends can help companies understand what their employees want from them and adapt these changes to make the workplace better. 

In this article, we’ll discuss the latest trends in employee engagement you’ll have to be aware of in 2024. 

Employee Engagement Can’t Be Ignored in 2024

Workers no longer see their jobs as something separate from their lives. Now, they’re looking for meaning and purpose in their work rather than just a way to make a living. 

That’s why the new generations of workers are expecting more from their employers, especially in terms of employee well-being, mental health, and fair compensation that matches the time and effort they put into their jobs. 

What’s more, there has never been more age diversity in the workplace than there is today. With Baby Boomers and Gen-Z, and any generation in between, clashing in workplace habits and work mentality, companies must make more effort to create an inclusive, diverse, and flexible company culture. 

Companies that don’t adjust to these employee engagement trends risk employee churn and disengagement. 

Main Employee Engagement Trends to Look Out for in 2024

Here are the main employee engagement trends to look out for in 2024. 

AI is a double-edged engagement sword

According to a report by IBM, 35% of companies are already using AI in the workplace. As more companies jump on the AI train, the nature of employee engagement is changing. 

👉 AI is changing how employee engagement data is collected. Thanks to predictive analytics, AI can identify the patterns in disengaged employees and detect them heading toward disengagement. This allows companies to address issues that lead to disengagement before it’s too late.

👉 AI is affecting how employees work. At first glance, using AI in the workplace increases productivity. Research conducted by Snaplogic reported that 81% of employees think using AI in the workplace improves their performance at work.

But AI also makes employees feel scared for their jobs. The recent actor strike in Hollywood is just one example of the panic AI causes among workers. With AI technology that allows film production teams to recreate a performer’s likeness without them being present, actors fear they might soon be replaced by machines. 

The implementation of AI pretty much everywhere is resulting in a decline in job security, causing employees to disengage. So, improving employee engagement in the face of AI is about figuring out how to make employees feel secure. 

Employee training and upskilling isn’t optional anymore

The world is evolving extremely fast, and employees must constantly uplevel their skills to stay relevant. Falling too far behind the curve can cause them to fear for their futures, which can lead to burnout, anxiety, and depression. 

As the pressure to upskill rises, companies must innovate with learning methods that can relieve the tension, motivating and engaging employees in the process. 

That’s why many companies implement personalization, 1:1 mentorship, and gamification into employee training.  

When employees don’t feel heard, they disengage

According to a report by UKG, 75% of employees don’t feel heard on important workplace issues, and 40% don’t feel their feedback leads to actionable change in the workplace. And when employees don’t feel heard, they feel they don’t matter. And when they don’t feel valued, they disengage. 

Therefore, companies must make an active effort to not only listen to employee feedback, ideas, and suggestions but also act upon them. 

No hybrid work, no engagement 

There’s no going back from remote and hybrid work. While 90% of companies are pushing for RTO (return-to-office), 71% of remote employees would like to continue working remotely. 

Employees enjoy remote and hybrid work so much that 39% would rather quit than return to the office.   

But since companies seem very set on their RTO policy, they’ll have to find a way to comprise, which is why hybrid work is here to stay - and evolving. 

If they want to keep their employees engaged, companies must allow for flexible working options, starting with fully remote work and ending with a 4-day work week and work-life balance initiatives. 

Employee well-being is the new buzzword

Moving into 2024, employees are becoming more focused on their well-being in the workplace than ever before. 

Employees are no longer willing to sacrifice their physical, mental, and emotional well-being to work longer hours or even get higher pay. According to a report by Hays, 56% of employees prefer to be paid less in exchange for a better work-life balance. 

To keep their employees from becoming disengaged, companies must adopt a holistic approach to well-being, which encompasses initiatives to care for their employees’ physical, mental, emotional, social, and even spiritual well-being. 

Employees want voluntary benefits on top of standard ones

In 2023, consumers seek high personalization on every level - from personalized products to personalized customer support. But the appeal of hyper-personalization doesn’t end with shoppers. It also applies to employees. 

How? Mainly in the form of voluntary benefits - benefit add-ons that employees can select based on their individual needs, on top of the regular ones. A survey by Corestream found that over 68% of employees think voluntary benefits increase their desire to work for and stay with their employer. 

These voluntary benefits can be anything from extra health coverage options, like dental or vision insurance, to wellness programs, gym memberships, or pet insurance. 

White men in suits are no longer “it”

Employees are seeking more diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. Glassdoor’s Diversity & Inclusion Workplace Survey found that 32% of job seekers would not apply for a job at a company that lacks workplace diversity. That’s why the DEIB initiative (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) remains relevant. 

To keep employees from disengaging, companies must embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion, creating a sense of belonging among their employees. 

They can do that by enforcing policies that promote DEI in the workplace and implementing inclusive hiring practices to attract candidates from different backgrounds. 

Employees want salary transparency to close the pay gap

Employees are no longer afraid to talk about money. They’re opening up to discuss their salaries with their colleagues, and many are finding out there is a lack of salary fairness among their coworkers. 

Inevitably, the lack of salary transparency and unequal pay can lead to disengagement and quitting. 

A survey by Salary.com found that 46% of employees feel they aren't paid fairly compared to people in the same positions in other companies, and 37% don't believe they are paid fairly compared to their colleagues within the same company.

The pressure from employees who are actively voicing their discontentment is resulting in more and more companies becoming transparent about their employees’ salaries and closing the pay gaps. 

For some, it won’t be voluntary anymore, as the EU has recently adopted new rules on pay transparency.