Although researchers and practitioners have been talking about the power of being ‘authentic’ in relation to leadership and workplaces over the last decade, predicted business trends in 2025 place authenticity well and truly in the spotlight. Experts believe that customers and clients are starting to lose trust in online-based interactions and sources of information, perhaps in part due to the increased use of AI and the blurred lines between what’s real and what’s not. It’s thought that the most successful businesses will be those that are able to inject a greater sense of authenticity and a more personalised, human experience for their staff and clients. Some believe that we will see a behavioural revolution of sorts, with people wanting to ‘digitally detox’ and go back to basics, cherishing meaningful and authentic interactions and relationships both in and out of work.
The trend towards nurturing authenticity in the workplace is also driven by the growing recognition of the importance of feeling safe at work; staff should be able to raise concerns, express emotion and share ideas without fear of being ridiculed or silenced. Without this sense of safety, change and innovation is stifled and dysfunctional behaviours go unchallenged. However, genuine psychological safety and interpersonal connectedness can only really be created when individuals are encouraged to be authentic and show up as their true selves. This starts with courageous leaders who role model authenticity, but can also be supported by more people-centric policies. Combined, these provide a powerful force for shaping the organisational culture into one that is safe, supportive and where employees are able to thrive.
Another trend that is becoming apparent centres around the changing expectations of the workforce. Recent HR surveys and reports suggest that for the modern workforce, a ‘a great culture’ is the most important factor when looking for a job and is deemed more important than salary. The move to remote working over recent years has also transformed employee expectations; workplaces increasingly need to offer unique work-life balance benefits to attract and retain talent. Successful organisations have to demonstrate a willingness to adapt to the changing times and to shift the organisation’s mindset to one that is less focused on targets and results, but instead recognise that performance encompasses a much broader set of criteria which should include well-being, purpose and values. With this fresh perspective on things, it causes organisations to ask the question ‘at what cost?’ when striving for targets and results. It’s likely that organisations that focus solely on targets and results as their performance metrics are not getting the best out of their staff, and will inevitably fall victim to staff burnout, disengagement and higher levels of sickness absence, which can take much more time and effort to repair in the long term!
It’s also worth noting that the demographics of the workforce are changing too. The over 75’s represent the fastest growing workforce segment, and teams are increasingly multi-generational, making it more important than ever for organisations to focus on diversity, equality and inclusion, and to invest in building and maintaining effective teams.
If this resource resonates with your organisation’s needs, why not get in touch with Zeal? We’d love to have a conversation about how we can work together to achieve something remarkable.