5 Company Culture Trends for 2020

Dr. Ryan Giffen

Company culture plays an important role in many industries. It is currently playing a role in your own business, whether you realize it or not. At the end of each fiscal year, it’s very important to take a look at how the work world has changed for your own business and your competitors. It is also wise to look ahead and pay attention to the world culture trends that are on the rise for the future. 

The Company Culture Trends Expected to be On the Rise for 2020

Here are a few predictions about the most popular culture trends for 2020. 

The Rise of Attentive & Conscious Companies 

Years ago, the obvious reason for owning a business was only to make money. There really wasn’t any other way around it. But today, it’s much different. We all want more from work and the companies we represent. It is known as conscious capitalism by some. This movement is also referred to as compassionate capitalism by major CEOs. These company culture examples inspire organizations to stand for something more. And not just the amount of their bottom line. Companies such as Whole Foods and Benioff are already making it a priority. And experts predict that it will continue to be a company culture trend for years to come. 

More Conversations About Mental Health 

In 2019, The World Health Organization finally recognized burnout as an occupational phenomenon. Burnout is a syndrome known for causing workplace stress. It can cause workers to become extremely tired, unfocused, and simply “burned-out” after doing the same tasks day after day. 

The recognition of this syndrome jump-started the long-overdue need for all us to talk about mental health in the workplace more often. Forbes Magazine recently stated that mental health needs to be a major topic on every company’s agenda for the new year. And it is on the minds of more CEOs who want to improve their business culture. 

We have already noticed progress in this area. At this time 30 of the top companies in the UK have recently signed the Mental Health at Work Commitment. And it is everyone’s hope that more will follow suit in the months to come as this company culture trend takes hold.

An Inclusive Outlook on Remote Work 

Remote workers gained a stereotype in recent years. Most people believe they are young tech experts who spend their days solving issues while sitting in front of their home computer. Another common misconception is that most remote workers have disabilities or chronic illnesses. This causes them to be unable to work in a typical setting. But there is so much more to those who call themselves remote workers as we head into the new decade. Anyone can be a remote worker, regardless of any of these factors. Someone who is perfectly healthy can choose to work from home to accommodate other needs. Those needs include anything from staying close to their children to wanting to save on fuel costs. 

Disconnecting from the Screen 

Our constant connection to the digital world has been a hot topic for a long time. It is one of the main challenges that employees face daily while on the job. Aside from staring at a computer screen to do our everyday tasks at work, we often also stare at our phones during our lunch or during breaks. Causing us to never disconnect from being online. 

A recent book titled "How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy" by Jenny Odell sparked interest among several companies. These businesses feel staying digitally tuned in has become a major issue. CEOs who have used the book have mentioned that they use it as a field guide for dealing with the daily online need for your attention. And there are also several more resources now available designed to help workers unplug yet stay focused on their work. 

Making Inclusive Family Leave More Important 

The attitude toward paternity leave and family leave in the United States has not been a positive one in the past. However, now more companies and organizations are starting to feel comfortable bringing up the subject and why it’s so important. These days there are more fathers who are requesting time off from work after welcoming a newborn to the family. And it makes perfectly good sense why. Raising a new child is a family effort and both parents need the opportunity to bond with their baby instead of just one. By allowing time off for dads as well as being more understanding toward the needs of new mothers, these companies are helping to improve the communities around them. This company culture trend really improves the workplace environment.

About Dr. Ryan Giffen

With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Ryan Giffen is an expert in human relations and business culture. His career began in hospitality, leading operations and human resource departments for Fortune 500 companies and the like. Not long after, Ryan found his passion for teaching and consulting. He earned a Ph.D. in Hospitality Management with a Human Resources focus from Iowa State University and now works as an assistant professor at California State University, Long Beach. For over a decade, he continues to research and speak on organizational culture, relationship intelligence, and leadership effectiveness. Ryan is also the founder of Inospire, a company helping bosses and employees build stronger relationships with one another.  Lastly, Dr. Giffen is producer and host of the Corporate Shadow Podcast. a show helping everyday employees overcome workplace nonsense.