With a new year well and truly underway, now is a great time to check out the top tech trends that will shape your world of work in 2024.

With the rapid tech changes we’ve seen in the last year, it's essential for business owners like you to keep updated to stay ahead!

So, what kind of things are you likely to see in the tech space this year and how will this impact your business, people, and HR planning?

Here's what's on the 2024 agenda…

1. Recruitment will get a tech turbocharge

Did you know that if the hiring process is too lengthy, more than three-quarters (78%) of candidates will lose interest and look elsewhere?

January is always a busy time for hiring and onboarding. That’s why in 2024, more employers will adopt new technologies to streamline processes, keep track of candidates, and speed up the often lengthy recruitment process.

With the war for talent still raging, speeding up processes should be high on your New Year resolutions list. Learn more about BrightHR’s fast, efficient, and super user-friendly recruitment software and support here.

2. Out with the old and in with the cloud

Cloud-based technology will be adopted by more companies in 2024. Even the more traditional industries like healthcare and the legal sector have started to embrace the cloud and AI to speed up their processes and conduct research.

In fact, 90% of companies surveyed by Deloitte consider the cloud essential for growth, digital transformation, and maintaining a strong position in the marketplace. But how does it intertwine with your HR and people processes? Well, digital technology can help your business in many ways, such as making your daily operations easier and more cost-effective.

Cloud-based HR systems help to combine all your day-to-day people management tasks into one piece of software. They’re usually hosted on a server, meaning your team can access everything they need to whenever and wherever they’re working.

And as new and more cost-effective solutions are consistently being developed to help, the cloud is becoming increasingly accessible for business owners.

Gartner predicts that by 2027, companies will use industry cloud platforms to accelerate over half of all key business projects, making its continued rise a front runner in our trends for 2024.

3. Remote work slows down, but it’s still here to stay!

If the tail end of 2023 has taught us anything about remote working it’s that more employers are requesting a return to the office full-time—even those in the tech space!

Though slowing down, the shift towards remote work still exists, and according to RTÉ 44% would change job to meet remote working needs.

Because new and changing regulations about hybrid and remote working are constantly popping up, it might be a good idea to pay attention to these key areas in 2024:

• Review your existing HR policies on homeworking, flexible working, hybrid, and agile working.
• Organise how workers will be managed and supervised and introduce HR technology where needed to support your team.
• Check if your insurance or liability policies need updating and pay attention to your health & safety policies too! Home working risk assessments are a great way to protect your business and keep staff safe when they’re working remotely.
• Make sure you have a secure system in place that allows you to keep your confidential information safe and secure.
• Stay attuned to your responsibilities for providing equipment and employee tax implications.

It’s essential you have the right technologies and HR policies to keep your hybrid and remote employees productive and happy.

Conducting a home working assessment, having a hybrid working from home policy, and introducing solid working from home guidance are all great places to start.

4. Generative AI is on the rise!

Think of tools that spawn unique content like ChatGPT, these are likely to expand and find multiple uses beyond the generation of words, images, and chatbots.

Content creation is traditionally the most common use for this tool, but it’s expected to spread its wings into other areas in 2024.

That’s tools that generate content in a click, like ChatGPT. These are likely to expand and find multiple uses beyond the generation of words, images, and chatbots. Content creation is traditionally the most common use for this tool, but it’s expected to spread its wings into other areas in 2024.

Tools like ChatGPT have many useful functions for employers and employees alike especially if the list of things it can help with is only growing. But with any new technology, it’s best to do your research and vet it properly, use it as your first draft, fact-check, and use it in moderation as an assistance tool rather than an end-to-end work tool.

You can watch our Chief Technology Officer, Alastair Brown share his thoughts and advice on introducing AI carefully and effectively here.

5. Employee health and wellbeing goes digital

Last year 86% of employees said they were more likely to apply to work for organisations that were open about supporting mental health and wellbeing.

For this reason, as well as rising concern about employee mental wellbeing and increasing staff burnout, we anticipate there will be a greater need for HR solutions with digital employee wellbeing services.