6 Workforce Trends That Could Impact You in 2025

If you work in HR, you don’t want to get blindsided by anything at work. And you probably want to stay on top of workplace trends.

The point is to be aware of what’s going on so you’ll be ready if they’re coming your way, react well if they impact you, or watch – and perhaps cheer – from the sidelines if they’re not a concern.

Workforce Trends to Keep an Eye On

The thing about trends is that there’s some theory and some science behind the predictions.

So we can’t tell you to bet on these workforce trends happening in your space. But at HRMorning, we want to do our job to ensure you know there’s a good chance they’ll have some impact on your operations this year.

Here are six trends you might see coming — so you’re ready to handle them.

1. Swinging the Skillset

 We’ve moved from talking about AI to adopting AI in the workforce in the past year. What’s next? AI actually replacing people in the workplace.

But don’t fear massive job loss. AI will create new opportunities for employees who are willing to diversify their skills and lean into their soft skills. While AI can automate many tasks, it can’t replicate the human touch.

So many companies will look within and outside the organization for people they can teach and mold into the changing roles. 

“AI is predicted to take away or to really take over a lot of the kind of efficiencies and the processes. The vast majority of people in those roles are likely to lose their jobs in the next few years, and those jobs will be replaced with new jobs,” says Matt Kirk, Owner – Talent Acquisition Solutions at SHL. “That’s one of the reasons why the skills piece is important, because as AI forces new roles and changes the structure of the organization, external talent is hard to find and it’s expensive.”

2. Calming the Chaos

This is good news for 2025: Employees will embrace their company’s culture and processes more as long as it’s easier to do their jobs, according to the Qualtrics Global Employee Experience Trends Report. They aren’t necessarily looking for AI to make things easier. They want to be part of improvements that will make work better.

Nearly 40% of employees report feeling pressure to be more productive, Qualtrics found. And that comes from trying to keep up with the pace of change. You’ll want leaders to ease the pressure by helping employees understand and adapt to changes.

“Over the past several years, we’ve seen that engagement and well-being are highest when employees feel proud of their organization’s impact on customers and supported in adapting to change,” said Dr. Benjamin Granger, Chief Workplace Psychologist at Qualtrics. “In general, humans are excellent at adapting to change, as long as they have support. Increased pressure to be productive must be met with increased organizational support and communication if organizations are to uphold their end of the new psychological contract between employee and employer.”

3. Uptick in Turnover

While many employees will stay loyal to their cultures and processes, some will seek what they believe is greener grass in 2025. Nearly 60% of employees are already looking or planning to look for a new job this year, according to a Resume Templates survey. A third of them will quit even if they don’t have a new job!

To avoid turnover,  ResumeTemplates’ Chief Career Strategist Julia Toothacre suggests:

“Employers need to recognize that employees are no longer willing to sacrifice unless there’s a clear benefit. Bonuses, flexibility, and clear expectations should be key considerations when recruiting talent at all levels. While recruitment processes have become highly prescriptive in an effort to appear fair, it’s essential to listen to what candidates want and accommodate when possible. Not everything needs to be overly regulated. If you want top talent, you must negotiate based on their needs, not just what your policy dictates.”

4. Evolving Leave Policies

Many companies will update and get creative with leave policies to retain and attract employees in 2025. It might be a necessary, long-coming change.

Most employers consider their leave management policies a strategic asset in their total rewards strategy, according to the 2025 NFP US Leave Management and HR Trend Report. Still, nearly a third don’t think their employees have a good grasp of what’s offered and how to make the most of the policies.

Some of the innovative and new policies popping up include leave for:

• Menopause-related challenges
• Close-relationship bereavement
• Miscarriage or unsuccessful IVF
• Death of a pet

“Effective leave management is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ — it is essential for fostering engagement, retention and trust between employees and employers,” said Maria Trapenasso, head of Human Capital Solutions practice at NFP. “By consistently assessing employee needs and engaging in meaningful conversations about leave practices, organizations can develop thoughtful, data-driven strategies that not only comply with regulations and align with business goals but also enhance the employee experience and cultivate a culture of care and inclusion.”

5. Returning to Office … Temporarily

The return to office debate may continue in 2025, but more companies than ever have their internal issue resolved. Many companies ended their hybrid and remote work situations in 2024, and more will likely follow suit this year.

But here’s the twist: Some will reverse the RTO mandates, according to two experts. They both agree there will be backpedaling – and it will have a positive effect on the workforce.

“The tide has shifted. There is going to be a big battle in 2025 … Hybrid full-time is the way to go,” says Felix Kim, CEO of Redrob. “Remote opportunities will be the driving force for talent, and companies requiring in-person work are going to see a lot of good talent leave.”

Alex Zekoff, CEO of Thoughtful AI, adds: “The best companies will move back to hybrid work structures. The best talent doesn’t like to feel controlled. To build team chemistry and camaraderie, companies will focus on more meetups and super commuting events.”

6. Fueling the Flexibility

There’s a reason for this finding from Flexa: Jobs with flexible hours tripled over the last year. The demand for that kind of work has skyrocketed. Even traditional shift work has embraced new forms of flexibility.

Flexibility in the workforce will continue to evolve this year. Industries and job roles that never considered flexibility will likely jump on the moving bandwagon to recruit and retain talent.  

“In 2025, employee expectations will continue to evolve, with flexibility, well-being, and career growth becoming even more interconnected priorities, says Andrea Lagan, COO at Betterworks. “Employees will demand not just remote or hybrid work options, but the tools and structures to work seamlessly and productively across any environment. Flexibility will mean more than location; it will encompass how and when work is done, emphasizing autonomy and trust.”