ADP SUMMER, 2014 | Vol. 24 No. 1                 
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5 business trends that are redefining employee relations – and how to capitalize on them

Savvy managers pay attention to the latest business trends – and see them as keys to their company’s next opportunities. When it comes to employer-employee relations, here are five trends worth noting:

1. Nontraditional Careers

Today’s career ladder is more likely to look like a winding road. Workers may have multiple careers and work in multiple industries during their lifetime. Many may move back and forth between self-employment and staff positions. Others have multiple sources of income from part-time and freelance jobs. Your organization’s ability to spot talent and accommodate nonstandard career paths may give you an edge in attracting top performers.

2. Going Mobile

According to the Pew Research Internet Project, mobile technology has reached the majority of adults in the United States. As of May 2013, 63% of adult cell phone owners use their devices to access the Internet, with 34% using phones as a primary means to go online, instead of a desktop or laptop computer.

The implications for your company? Your website and content need to be mobile-friendly. A mobile user’s experience (including that of employees) must be as good as, or better than, that of PC-based users.

3. Working Outside the Workplace

Telework continues to gain traction as employees strive for a better work life balance. Most of FORTUNE magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For allow telecommuting.

And while teleworking can be viewed as a way to reduce capital costs, remote employees can be more difficult to manage. Collaboration is different. Managers and employees need to establish clear boundaries and standards.

Properly managed, however, telework can result in higher employee productivity and engagement. Research shows that engagement scores for teleworkers are higher (61%) than for those in traditional working arrangements (55%).1 So before you renew that lease on expensive office space, consider remote working as an option for your workforce.

4. Broader Focus on Well-Being

As the connection between well-being and productivity and engagement becomes more pronounced, expect the concept of wellness in the workplace to gain prominence.

For example, a study by Noddle, a British credit-reporting service, finds that people who are in poor physical shape are “almost twice as likely to be financially unfit” than people who are in good shape. Similarly, the Aon Hewitt 2013 Consumer Health Mindset study found that an individual’s financial situation is the most commonly cited stress factor, and 51% of workers surveyed said that stress caused them to be less productive at work.

5. Millennials Are Growing Up

Millennials make up the generation born between 1980 and 2000. They currently represent about 25% of the U.S. workforce and are expected to make up nearly half by 2020.2

This generation has been raised to value technology, work-life balance, social equality, and environmental sustainability. According to Forbes contributing writer, Shama Kabani, millennials “are used to speed, multitasking, and working on their own schedule. These can be great assets in a knowledge economy which values end results over the process.”3 As your millennial workers move into leadership roles, expect them to put a different spin on nearly all aspects of business.

ADP® Can Help You Capitalize on Business Trends

ADP® can help you make the most of a changing business environment. We offer support for talent management, plus training and development to keep employees engaged. Our manager and supervisor training programs help you set expectations and performance goals for all employees, including those who work virtually.

The ADP® Mobile Solutions app lets small business employees access their pay information, company directory, benefits elections, and more.

ADP® also offers Employee Assistance Programs, which can help your employees achieve a healthy balance across all areas of their lives, including emotional, financial, mental and physical wellness.


ADP TotalSource® offers a co-employment relationship in which you retain day-to-day control over how you manage your employees, while ADP® takes on the HR management and benefits administration.


Want the scoop on 10 additional business trends?
This article was condensed from a more extensive write-up in ADP’s BottomLine magazine. Visit the BottomLine home page to download the current and archived issues.