The work world spins on its axis, and companies are constantly finding themselves in a game of adapt-or-fail with emerging work trends. Operational shifts come as a response to many things — inflation, budgets, garden variety socioeconomic factors… And recently, in response to the pandemic, GenAI, and ill-received return-to-office (RTO) mandates. Companies can’t — and shouldn’t be expected to — adapt to every trend, but leaders are keeping an eye on how the global workplace is changing.

The big one: Digital nomadism — where individuals work remotely as they make their way from country to country — isn't just for freelancers anymore. This lifestyle has attracted young professionals, retirees, and even families with kids. As the dream of home ownership and a fair-paying 9-to-5 job becomes less attainable, many young professionals, retirees, and even families with kids see digital nomadism not just as an attractive option to escape climbing living costs, but a practical one too.

The office cubicle isn’t winning any popularity contests, and luckily, some employers are happy to accommodate: The growing trend, which has gained over 35mn participants globally, gained traction during the pandemic — the US has seen a 131% increase in people who would describe themselves as digital nomads in the past five years. Local economies and industries have found no qualms to adapting this work model, introducing dedicated job listings for people interested in that lifestyle, investing in tech to support remote workers, giving them a stipend to rent coworking spaces, and even offering specialized visas for people traveling as they work.

“If you don’t like it, leave.” isn’t a threat anymore. Digital nomads aren’t the only ones shaking things up. Enter two types of quitters: loud and quiet. Those aren’t a literal description of how those types of quitting work, but they’re still making noise (pun intended). Quiet quitting — doing that absolute bare minimum at work without shirking your responsibilities — is a manifestation of the disconnection and discontentment people are feeling at work.

Instead of resigning or disrupting the workplace, these workers simply disengage. Shockingly, around 90% of employees in the UK identify as quiet quitters — they show up to work, do their job, and leave on time to try to reclaim as much as they can of their personal time.

Why? It’s simple. People are feeling overworked, undervalued, and underpaid. Disillusion with the idea that hard work guarantees success or even recognition has underscored the futility of giving their lives to their work — people are now prioritizing life outside of the office. Experts warn that this could be a temporary fix to a real issue.

On the other hand, loud quitting is all about making an exit that everyone notices. This trend has picked up on social media, especially TikTok — dubbed Quit-Tok. Employees share videos of their resignations and exit interviews — the messier the better. It’s a way for people to express their frustrations publicly, wanting to highlight particularly negative experiences in the workplace so that others in the same situation feel empowered to ask for what’s owed them or to leave a toxic work environment.

People aren’t just doing it for the ‘gram: These trends are a culmination of many factors that are just now coming to a head, though social media is definitely fanning the flames. Why not just let them leave? High turnover not only dings the company’s wallet, but hurts team morale and affects the office culture. The way to avoid grand displays of dissatisfaction or stealthy disengagement, says one Gallup report. It all boils down to engagement and keeping those communication lines open: companies need to create a culture where employees feel valued and supported — whether that’s through clear career growth opportunities, offering mental health resources, or allowing flexible work setups.

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