Top Five Workplace Trends of 2025

Looking ahead at ‌projected workplace trends for this coming year, there’s a lot of buzz, a handful of questions, and a few concerns. Employees and employers alike are both excited and worried about certain HR trends, technological advancements, and the ever-evolving landscape of physical and virtual workplaces.

But what can we actually expect going into 2025? Which workplace trends are likely to occur, what worries can be eased, and where should employers and workers be directing their efforts?

We’ve got the answers to these questions and the evidence to back them up, so if you feel like you’re professionally floundering after a long 2024 — don’t worry. We’ve pulled together a list of the top five future workplace trends that you need to be on the lookout for.

The Anti-Office Movement Continues

Despite some of the more dramatic headlines you might’ve seen last year, the reality of ‘return to office vs. work from home’ is not so contentious. Yes, there are varied viewpoints, but in many cases, employees and employers still see working from home as a viable option. In fact, 2024 research from Owl Labs, “discovered that hybrid and remote work trends are actually growing… [and] full-time in-office work actually decreased six percent from 2023.”

As for ‌CEOs and managers who are still insisting on bringing their employees back to the office? They are going to continue to have an uphill battle. Recent reporting shows that a whopping 95% of workers want to have some form of a hybrid schedule, with 54% of people preferring to work fully remotely.

In short, the HR trends of 2025 all point to hybrid options being one of, if not the, most important benefits employees will be looking for.

Addressing AI Anxiety

For years now, AI in the workplace has been a sensitive topic. Regardless of what anyone thinks on a personal level, the professional use of AI is here to stay.

Those who have been willing to embrace AI have already experienced its capabilities to generate ideas, summarize information, and automate routine tasks. Additionally, AI is increasingly being used for email management, data entry, appointment scheduling, language translation, content creation, design assistance, time and project management, pricing optimization, and even programming.

On the other hand, reporting from only a few months ago found nearly half of employees still “fear their skills will be obsolete within five years,” thanks to AI. This fear may hinder adoption, but many professionals might not realize they’ve already been using AI in their daily tasks without even noticing it. A recent study found that “while only 33% of people think that they use AI, over 77% use an AI-powered service or device.”

The truth about AI as a 2025 workplace trend is this — it’s not going anywhere and workers are still uncomfortable with its implementation. As far as solutions go, one of the best things employers can do when implementing new AI technology is to be open and communicative throughout every step of the process. Assure your employees that they won’t be replaced, and help them see the ways AI will be an asset in their day-to-day work life.

Personalized Working Schedules

Today’s employees desire autonomy over their work schedules and environments. While many employees continue to push for hybrid or fully remote work, those who are forced to work full-time in the office may begin pushing for another outlet of freedom — the four-day work week. Even though a four-day schedule isn’t the norm in the United States, research finds that 80% of American workers “believe they would be happier and just as effective with 4 days at work.”

And they aren’t wrong.

Four-day work weeks have been adopted — on a trial basis — across many companies, and long-term results from these trials are finally starting to come in. Employees with only four-day work weeks report “better mental and physical health, life satisfaction, and positive affect, as well as less stress, burnout, fatigue, and work-family conflict.” Additionally, “those gains held fairly stable in a 12-month follow-up.”

Beyond the four-day workweek, there are other ways professionals can personalize their work schedules:

• Flextime: Employees can choose their start and end times within a set range, allowing them to work during their most productive hours or accommodate personal commitments.
• Compressed Workweeks: Employees work longer hours on fewer days, such as four 10-hour days instead of five 8-hour days.
• Staggered Hours: Employees start and finish work at different times to avoid peak commuting hours or to better align with their personal schedules.
• Custom Breaks: Employees take breaks at times that suit their personal needs, rather than adhering to a fixed schedule.

A Growing Gig Economy

The gig economy has been on the rise for the past few years, and there’s no reason to think it won’t continue to increase in prevalence throughout 2025.

In March of 2024, Bank of America reported that “customers who received income from gig platforms through direct deposits or debit cards was about 3.8%,” which was higher than the previous peak from 2022. Statista also predicts that over 90 million US workers will be working as freelancers in some capacity by 2028, which, if true, means we would see major growth in the gig economy over the next three years.

Next-Gen Leaders: From Boomers to Zoomers

The most impactful workplace trend professionals can expect from 2025 is a major shift in leadership. The youngest Baby Boomers will be turning 60 this year, meaning that many people of that generation are going to be retiring in the next twelve months.

On the other side of the spectrum, the oldest of Gen-Zers are going to be turning 27. Their knowledge of newer technology combined with high levels of adaptability (thanks to pandemic disruptions) make them very competitive applicants for leadership positions.

These generational shifts could usher in dramatic workplace culture shocks and stark contrasts in leadership styles that employers should absolutely prepare for.

Final Thoughts

Yes, we’ve done the research and read the reporting, but it should be noted that none of these future workplace trends are set in stone. The one working-world constant that can be said at the beginning of every year, is the fact that change is inevitable and predictions are just that. While we think these trends are absolutely worth keeping in mind, there are no guarantees. Societal expectations, global politics, and changing economies are always going to play a major role in shaping the working world. And yes, we know that’s overwhelming to think about.

But the good news is you’re not alone in this. Planning for your professional year ahead is something we at CyberCoders know all about. With over twenty years of recruiting experience and a proven track record of placing over 43k job seekers, we truly are experts in navigating workplace trends. So before you make any professional moves this year, check out our website to learn more about how we can help.

Together, we’ll make 2025 your best working year yet!