2020 marks the start of a new decade, not just a new year, and before we dive into the HR and talent topics of the future, let’s take a moment to look back at the past. What were the most popular topics of the last 12 months and what trends do they highlight as our understanding of work and management continue to shift? We review our top 5 most popular blogs of the last year and the key-takeaways we can learn from each topic. 

McQuaig trending topics for 2019

#1: The not so hidden cost of employee burnout

2019 was a big year for burnout. With the World Health Organization recognizing it as a syndrome for the first time since it was coined nearly 50 years ago, burnout is becoming a more recognized problem in the office. Burnout happens when employees become mentally and physically exhausted and lose their previous energy and focus. This can even lead to physical side effects like increased absenteeism, more illnesses, and trouble with sleep. Nearly half of all employees report feeling burnt out to some extent at work. Just think about the impact that can have on a company or team. This article explores 5 common causes for burnout and 5 solutions you can put in place to help your employees beat it.

#2: Diversity and inclusion are more than just buzzwords

Another topic that has gained more ground in 2019 is the importance of diversity and inclusion. As the need to attract top talent becomes paramount, many companies are expanding their sourcing network to find new and different candidates. Improving the diversity of your talent pipeline helps bring fresh ideas into the company and boosts innovation and creativity on teams. Inclusion, on the other hand, happens post-hire and focuses on creating a company culture that welcomes and encourages different points of view. Businesses that prioritize both concepts together are finding it has far reaching impacts for a company, from revenue to employee engagement to turnover rates. This blog breaks down the current research and stats on the topic, tips to improve inclusion in the workplace, and 5 ways to adjust your hiring strategy to be more diverse. 

#3: Job hopping is the new normal – so what can you do about it?

With Gen Z moving into the workforce, the conversation around job hopping heated up this year. It’s a trend impacting everyone but the younger two generations in particular are becoming more susceptible to this sort of career strategy. There’s been a shift away from the idea of company loyalty and building a career in one place. Instead, workers are taking their careers into their own hands and jumping from role to role until they find a company that aligns to their values and offers them the work and salary they are looking for. This presents a unique challenge for companies and this article looks at what’s driving this behaviour and how employers can react. 

#4: What are today’s candidates looking for? Meaningful work

Unemployment rates hit a 50 year record low in 2019, meaning candidates had the ability to be more picky about what they were looking for in their next job. One concept that has consistently come up this year within this topic is the ongoing search for meaningful work. Everyone wants to feel like the work they do is important and makes some sort of impact. As society starts paying more attention to what’s not working in the world and taking steps to address it (think climate change or gender equality), employees are mirroring this behaviour at work. We’re beginning to see more workforces rise up to hold their employers accountable to their actions when they cross moral or ethical lines. The trend is causing employers to think harder about what sort of work their staff is engaged in and what impact that causes the world beyond their front door. This blog examines what the trend means for leadership and recruitment as well as exploring 7 ways to communicate your work is meaningful to potential candidates. 

#5: 5 employer brand metrics you should be tracking

2019 saw a rise in the importance of employer branding. Also as a likely result of the historically low unemployment rate, companies are having to get creative in their efforts to find and attract top talent. With candidates being choosy, a strong employer brand is one way to stay competitive and stand out in the crowd. Employer brands are an effective way of communicating a company’s employee value proposition which can help sway candidates into accepting a job offer. But keeping on top of them and monitoring their progress is equally important. Check out these key metrics to track throughout the year and some helpful tips on how to set up your brand for success.

What can we learn from 2019?

Looking back over the past year and seeing what topics our readers were drawn to helps frame some of the talent conversations that have been happening in the last few months. When taken as a whole, we can see that there are some serious shifts away from how work has always been conducted in previous years. In it’s place, the newer generations entering the workforce are bringing with them a different view of what work-life can and should be. From remote work, to the rise of AI, to the quest for meaning in our jobs, the landscape of work is changing. For better or worse, many of the trends highlighted in our most popular blogs this year are here to stay. The question then becomes, how do we continue to grow and succeed as attitudes toward work shift? And what can we do as employees, managers, founders, and HR professionals to ensure the future of work is both fair and bright?