What are the Buzzwords Shaping the Workplace in 2024?

Ever wonder what terms will be trending in the workplace next year? We have already heard of job hopping, quiet quitting, loud quitting, quiet firing and anti-perks, but there are some new buzzwords in town set to define the work environment in 2024 and beyond.

And while it might sound a little tongue-in-cheek, according to the 2023 Gallup State of the Workplace report, nearly every UK employee (90%) is unhappy at work. What’s more, HR magazine reported that 54% of employees said that they currently have tailored benefits but the majority desire for more personalised rewards with 90% expressing a preference for immediate rewards offering tangible or real-life benefits, such as extra days off or flexible working hours.

Here are some of the fresh expressions circulating currently that HR professionals, managers, and businesses need to know to stay in tune with employee experiences and expectations.

Anti-perks – the whole thing might sound crazy, but free dinner, catered lunches, massages, nap rooms, video games, unlimited vacations and pet-friendly offices are some of the things that apparently employees DON’T want!

Acting Your Wage – Matching your effort to the paycheck you receive – which provides a great argument for increased employee productivity and a strong rewards and recognition system

Monk Mode – Going into deep focus mode by shutting out distractions (previously known as ‘focus time’)

Performance Punishment – Getting overloaded because you’re just that good (potentially leading to burnout)

Loud Suffering – Letting everyone know how close you are to burnout (with hopes for a raise) and a new addition to the ‘Suffering’ family

Fake Happy – Smiling through the stress while secretly exhausted from life/work

Toxic Positivity – invalidating, dismissing, or ignoring real, genuine feelings of distress, sadness, or discomfort. It’s the belief that one should always maintain a positive mindset, regardless of the circumstances, and that negative emotions or experiences should be avoided, suppressed, or denied

Woliday – Turning your holiday into a workday – another strike for the ‘unable to unplug’ argument

Interview Insanity – Navigating a never-ending interview process with zero feedback, something that is increasingly common in current recruitment practices

Office Peacocking – Employers sprucing up the office to lure employees back (think pet-friendly, new cosy nooks, hammocks, fancy coffees)

Ghost Jobs – Posting jobs that don’t actually exist to boost the company’s image – a form of ‘job washing’

Quitting Guilt – Feeling bad about leaving a toxic workplace even when it’s the best option for you

Interview Post-Mortems – Grimly dissecting an interview after the fact – which is a positive activity but not when coupled with interview insanity

How do you see these buzzwords playing out in your workplace?

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