What’s coming up in 2024 for workforce management?

Since 2019 there have been dramatic changes around the world. From the pandemic its impact associated changes to attitudes to work, to cost of living crises caused by overseas conflicts, to fluctuating economies, and political changes.  

2024 is now here, and we’ve asked two of our industry thought leaders what they think will be changing in the world of workforce management this year. 

Andrew Erlichman - VP, Sales/Channel Partner Strategy 

The world is realizing that we are moving away from a job title driven talent strategy to more of a focus on finding the right resources to complete specific tasks. Skills and experience are what drive successful outcomes. Speed will continue to be a driving KPI (Key Performance Indicator) for talent acquisition, but all elements are still important. As older talent continues to retire, finding qualified talent quickly will remain a key initiative.  

Planning for demand will continue to drive successful results. A flexible approach to talent supply that could include a strategy for directly sourcing specific skill sets along with purposeful talent curation all while utilizing AI powered talent attraction tech will be very effective.  

Also driven by a desire for efficiency and effectiveness I would predict the continuing growth of Statement of Work where organizations engage subject matter experts to achieve measurable outcomes within set timelines or milestones. The use of strategic partnerships here will help businesses to find the best possible suppliers with the most relevant and successful experience while ensuring compliance, cost controls and speed in productivity. 

AI (Artificial Intelligence) has been in the news consistently, and this is no different in workforce management. Automation and machine learning will continue to grow in our space with various AI platforms and applications used to remove the ‘leg work’, freeing up team members to focus on people-based actions and growth.  

AI is not a threat to jobs as it will never take over everything that we do: In fact, Artificial intelligence is expected to create 133 million new jobs by 2030. Accepting AI in the world of work will enable both workers and businesses to deliver better results at faster rates.  

Ben De Wulf - Client Solutions Architect 

I would agree that AI is going to continue to become more relevant as people become increasingly aware of its potential. Not only will the use of AI increase within workforce management, but I think our team members working hands-on with clients will see an escalating increase in demand for quality candidates who have AI experience and skills. 

I predict that without drastic action the STEM talent shortage will continue. We’ve seen a range of industries already struggling. As an example, a recent study by Guidant Global in partnership with Defence Online about the defence industry, showed that for over half of respondents, their leading challenge was attracting and retaining quality talent, shortly followed by difficulty sourcing specialist or niche skill workers.  

As more STEM workers get closer to retirement, employers looking to bring in the best quality talent in STEM are going to have to offer more than simply good salaries, and organizations need to look at alternative approaches to reaching new audiences. 

The pandemic brought a dramatic rise in remote workers, but I predict that whilst workers like the flexibility of working from home they also crave human interaction and a sense of community at work. I believe that there will be an increase in hybrid working as opposed to remote working, with candidates wanting the best of both worlds. 

Lastly, and specifically for the UK, the reform to IR35 might make organisations reconsider their previous approaches PCS contractor bans. With the double taxation rule no longer applying due to the introduction of new legislation, in relation to misclassification of an “out of scope” worker and essentially reducing the risk, may mean there will be a greater appetite to explore the use of PSC contractors moving forward. 

2024 at Guidant Global 

At Guidant Global, our workforce management solutions are agile, digitally enabled, scalable, and evolve with you and your organisation, helping you to create a productive, diverse and inclusive workforce. If you are looking to achieve new levels of workforce quality, cost savings, compliance and efficiency in 2024, contact our team.