3 Simple, Yet Game-Changing Workplace Trends All Leaders Should Embrace In 2024

With a new year comes a clean slate – at least, that’s what everyone on social media tells you. But regardless of whether you’re big on new year’s resolutions or not, there’s no time like the present to evaluate what’s working, and what’s no longer serving you and the people you are leading in your workplace.

Here, we unpack some of the simple, yet game-changing qualities you should bring into your day to day as a leader – the year ahead will be bigger, better, and more productive because of them.

Communication at the forefront

Communication is the buzzword that comes into almost every element of life – and it’s no less important in the workplace. Learning to communicate more effectively with your team will bring more alignment, more efficiency and overall satisfaction to your working environment.

What does it look like?

When faced with an unexpected challenge, workflow is inevitably disrupted. Naturally, leaders will prioritise what they spend their time working on accordingly, but in the great frenzy, it’s easy to forget to tell others what you are prioritising, and why. If you are transparent about what you’re working on, and you have clearly told others about what has been put on hold, they will be in a better position to support you, and prioritise their own workloads in order to tackle the challenge. Ultimately, this form of communication means that you don’t have to feel alone.

Connect with people outside your world

Gone are the days where industries worked in silos. In today’s ever-connected world, there’s no better time to broaden your horizons and expand your skill set and leadership style. By connecting with people outside of your usual working circle, you will be exposed to new perspectives, new leadership styles, new cultures and new ways of thinking. All of this can help to inform, and improve the way you lead others. So go forth and embrace a learning mindset, listen to new voices and incorporate your learnings into your routine - as the world of work continues to change, so too do the leaders who will see this through successfully.

What does it look like?

At Common Purpose, we’re fortunate to hear many stories about impactful, transformative leadership journeys. One of the most common factors that play into these stories is their decision to connect with other leaders from different geographies, different industries, and different cultures, which is often instigated via our programmes. The new knowledge they gain from these experiences informs the way they go on to better connect with their own diverse teams so they can thrive together.

Instigate conversations with purpose

Our world is growing ever-complex, and with that, comes new divisions and problems that are not easily solved. The answer isn’t always clear, nor is it always fixable, but the simple act of having a conversation can have the ability to strengthen relationships and build bridges – if they are carried out well.

This is where you’ll find the true impact of having a conversation with purpose. Where everyday conversations have a clear and definitive outcome from its instigation, conversations with purpose stem from issues that are much bigger, and their outcomes are not always clear or predictable. It takes courage to instigate a conversation with purpose, but by having more of them, you will find common ground with others, expand your own horizons and be more open to new perspectives.

What does it look like?

Questions like, “How was your trip?” and “What did you get up to on the weekend?" are all well and good between colleagues, but are you really getting to understand that person? If you and a colleague have been working together long enough and you’ve build a positive working relationship, you shouldn’t be afraid to instigate deeper conversations with them when the time presents itself. Discovering their perspectives about things like social issues, personal rights, and culture – and sharing your own perspectives on these - will garner a deeper understanding between you both. And who knows, you may find some common ground you would never have otherwise known about.