Top 10 Work Trends: Q3 Round Ups from Trend Champions

The 2021 Top Work Trends, identified by SIOP members in December 2020, remained in the forefront of the media, as well as in research and practice, during the third quarter of 2021. Our Trend Champions curated several of the highlights in our Q3 Round Ups, which you can access from the links below. A couple highlights follow below:

• Trend #2: Employee health, well-being, wellness, and safety remained in focus throughout Q3 in large part due to the spread of the COVID-19 delta variant. In light of this, many employers responded by shifting long-awaited return-to-office plans and addressing related priorities including (a) vaccine mandates, (b) work compensation and design, (c) AI and employee health, and more.
• Trend #4: Inclusive practices to get, keep, and grow talent were highlighted in a recent study by professor and SIOP member Christiane Spitzmuller, who found that having a search committee chaired by either a woman or person of color resulted in greater diversity in the applicant pool.

Links to each Q3 Round Up follow below, as do links to get to know and connect with our Trend Champions. If you’re contributing to research or practice, or if you’re featured in the media, be sure to reach out so that your contributions can be incorporated into next quarter’s round ups.

#10         Virtual learning – Stacey Boyle
#9           Building cultures of agility and adaptability – Ken DeMeuse
#8           Changing nature of work – Eric Sydell
#7           Work life integration – Angie McDermott
#6           Team effectiveness - across virtual and distributed environments – Gordy Curphy
#5           Social justice – Dyan Ferraris
#4           Inclusive practices to get, keep and grow talent – Kisha Jones
#3           Implementing strategies and measuring progress on DEI and belonging – Tony Cooley
#2           Employee health, well-being, wellness, and safety – Maryana Arvan and Keaton Fletcher
#1           Remote work and flexible work arrangements – Lindsey Wuerfel

Background:
At the end of 2020, SIOP conducted its annual survey to identify the Top 10 Work Trends for 2021. These trends, identified by SIOP members who are experts in applied science at work, were announced in January. In February, we introduced the Trend Champions selected to monitor the latest developments in research and practice on each of these trends throughout the year. In April, we shared Q1 Work Trend Round Ups; in July Q2 Work Trend Round Ups; and now, we are sharing happenings from Q3. Be sure to look for Q4s Round Ups, which will be published in December to remain up to date with the latest developments.

Additionally, plans are already underway to survey SIOP members in October and November on the work trends you’re anticipating to be in the forefront for 2022. Keep your eyes open for an invite to participate in these surveys.

Finally, if you’re using your I-O psychology expertise to conduct research related to these Top 10 Work Trends or are applying your scientific knowledge to help organizations address these Top 10 Work Trends, reach out to Visibility-Media Subcommittee Chair Heidi Glickman to share. We would be thrilled to feature your impactful contributions in our next Quarterly Round Up!