The 2015 Quintet of Workplace Disruptors

I see the workplace of 2015 as an arena in a perpetual state of disruption. It’s like progress with ADD: we just get our heads around the latest change when another innovation busts in the door. From the Cloud to mobile to the profound shift in population and a new social contract between employers and employees, in 2015 we’ve passed the tipping point. There’s no such thing as business as usual, at least not the way it was before.

What’s rocking the workplace boat? Here’s the 2015 quintet of top workplace disruptors.

1) Diverse To The Nth Degree

The workforce encompasses generations, continents, even terms of employ. Multiple generations —Baby Boomers. Gen X, millennials and now Gen Z all work together. Are they ever in the same physical space, or even time zone together? Doesn’t matter. There’s a constant, fertile, hypernetworked juxtaposition of different communication styles, work habits, values, behaviors, strengths and skills. Reverse-mentoring becomes such a norm it just falls within the rubric of mentoring. The new concept of employee includes consultants, freelancers, and temporary hires as well as those on the payroll.

2)  Social And Mobile, Or Dinosaur?

In 2015 there’s no such thing as a non-mobile, non-networked workplace. Social media is a standard component of the HR platform — from recruitment to onboarding, education to engagement. As job seekers set their smartphone alerts for positions, business wakes up, ensuring their platforms fit on mobile. To overlook social and mobile renders your company image that of a dinosaur, especially in given the younger generations’ eye, who use mobile and social as their de facto means of everything. Social media posts overtake static websites and press releases to deliver company news, deepen awareness of its brand and attract potential hires.

3) The Age Of The Cloud

The Cloud and Big Data have worked like a beneficial Tsunami on the world of work. In terms of HR intelligence there’s simply nothing to compare it to. The power of analytic tools and solutions to create predictive models is only beginning to be tapped. In 2015, we scale up: Cloud-driven talent analytics is in full swing, using all-in-one platforms and quantitative insights to align business and HR strategies. Meaningful insights and robust analytics help tackle the hard questions, such as how to identify and bridge the skills gap, chart better recruitment strategies, and build effective succession plans.

4) Trust Me: The New Employer / Employee Alliance

Company loyalty and the gold watch reward system is a thing of the past. We’re seeing employees, by necessity, become loyal to themselves first, employer second. Yet it’s critical that employee and company goals are aligned and employees engaged. 2015 sees a new social compact based on trust. Static performance reviews and cog-in-the-wheel directives are replaced by a true alliance between company and employee, It’s a sensitive, dynamic conversation involving support, feedback and continuous talent engagement. Business gets real about the value of employees.

5) Straight To Video

Video is changing work with crystal clarity at every stage — in recruiting and hiring, learning, and interaction. User friendly, flexible, agile, customizable yet easily shareable, it’s the ideal tool for retention and engagement. In 2015 HR exponentially relies on video to deliver a top-notch candidate experience. In talent acquisition, video interviews — live or taped — gain traction. Videos are used to convey a workplace culture, offering a true sense of transparency, an informal sense of brand. They’re tapped into as a dynamic way to embed the company mission and message, and a great way to bring everyone into the conversation.

There are lots of trends shifting the world of work, but these five offer a clear road map for staying competitive in the heady, wild year to come. So, Happy 2015: Here’s to staying relevant, and here’s to you!

This article was written by Meghan M. Biro from Forbes and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. SmartRecruiters is the recruiting platform to find and hire great people.