TL;DR: Deb Muller and Beth Citron discuss two major trends employee relations teams should prepare for over the next 18–24 months: Ongoing return-to-office challenges and the workplace impact of social justice issues. They highlight the need for proactive strategies to manage fairness concerns, foster belonging and navigate sensitive conversations — especially during an election year.
Three Key Takeaways from the Video: Trends in Employee Relations
- Return-to-office challenges are evolving: Hybrid, full-remote and full-return models all present fairness and collaboration hurdles that can lead to more complaints if not addressed.
- Social justice issues are entering the workplace: With global conflicts and a US election year, employees expect varying levels of support and safe spaces to discuss sensitive topics.
- ER must think strategically: Employee relations leaders should proactively address these issues to reduce complaints and strengthen inclusion and engagement.
Video Transcript: Trends in Employee Relations
Deb Muller:
00:00:12.519 Hi everybody, welcome back to Two Minute Matters. I’m Deb Muller, the CEO and founder of HR Acuity, and I love to be here to spend two minutes talking about everything ER. I’m really excited because today my guest star is Beth — Beth Citron.
Beth has been the head of global ER organizations in retail and media. She has seen it all, so we’re happy to have her here to get her perspective. Welcome.
Beth Citron:
00:00:40.160 Thank you.
Deb:
00:00:41.760 Today’s topic: trends in ER and what’s coming in the next 18–24 months — what organizations should be ready for.
We’re not going to talk about AI — we know that’s coming, we’ve been talking about it a lot, and we even did a session in EmpowER the other day. If you haven’t joined EmpowER, please do — it’s empowerer.org, the place to be for ER professionals.
Beth, we’re going to give you two minutes to talk about other things because there’s more going on, and we can have a quick conversation about it. Starting the timer.
Beth:
00:01:18.040 One of the trends I’m continuing to see is return to office — how it’s working and what it’s looking like.
Some organizations have gone full-time back to the office — employees don’t love that for the most part. Some are hybrid, some are full remote. In hybrid situations, there are still issues: Why does this person get to be remote and that person doesn’t? There are always exceptions.
Another issue: we’re hybrid, but people aren’t intentional about when they come in, so we’re not collaborating when on-site.
For remote work, some organizations went full remote during the pandemic and now have trouble connecting employees — especially new hires — and integrating them into the culture. Some are reconsidering bringing people back in some capacity. These challenges can lead to more complaints and claims of unfair treatment.
The other big trend is around social justice issues. With a US election this year and global events unfolding, employees have strong feelings — often because of personal connections. Organizations are struggling with how to respond.
On one end, some say no politics or social justice issues at work. On the other end, progressive organizations are engaging directly — hosting ERGs, bringing in guest speakers, and creating listening circles to provide safe spaces.
Beth:
00:03:20.680 These issues will keep ER relevant. Organizations will need to think strategically to stay ahead — especially as we move through 2024 toward the election — and ensure workplaces remain safe and inclusive for everyone.
Deb:
00:03:46.840 Great topic. Let us know in the comments what else you think is trending. Beth, we could have you back to cover more. Thanks for joining us, and see you next time.
Beth:
00:03:58.239 Thanks.
