Introducing talent trends 2018: Five workforce trends for 2018

Indeed, people are the heart of every organization and at the heart of technology. With AI infused into today’s and tomorrow’s work, enterprises need highly—and newly—skilled people to maximize the benefits of digitization. People, not robots or AI software, will continue to brainstorm new ideas, pursue opportunity, inspire each other, and drive organizations to succeed. If anything, we’ve entered a new Human Age.

That’s a key takeaway from Mercer’s 2018 Global Talent Trends study, which gathered insights from more than 7,600 senior business executives, HR leaders, and employees from 21 industries and 44 countries around the world. The consensus reveals that global leaders and employees understand that, to thrive, organizations need workforces of lifelong learners who grow with the business, embrace continuous change, master new technologies, and build skills for the future.

While integrating new technologies, leadership must focus on this “human operating system” to power the organization. Here are five workforce trends for 2018 and beyond:

1. Change@Speed: How companies prepare for the future of work depends on the degree of disruption anticipated.
2. Working with Purpose: Three-quarters (75 percent) of thriving employees, those who feel fulfilled personally and professionally, say their company has a strong sense of purpose.
3. Permanent Flexibility: Individuals are vocal in their expectations of work arrangements that put them in control of their personal and professional lives.
4. Platform for Talent: Given that 89 percent of executives expect an increase in the competition for talent, organizations realize they must expand their talent ecosystem and update their HR models for a digital age.
5. Digital from the Inside Out: Despite improvement over last year, companies lag on delivering a consumer-grade experience—only 15 percent consider themselves a digital organization today.

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