Thriving in business requires more than just keeping up with the competition—it means anticipating the trends shaping tomorrow’s workplace. As 2025 approaches, leaders face new opportunities and challenges in areas such as technology, sustainability and workforce dynamics. Getting ready for shifts in the work environment starts with understanding what’s coming and how it might impact an organization’s business strategy and growth.
Below, 16 Forbes Coaches Council members discuss some of the most impactful workplace trends they see on the horizon and actionable advice to prepare for them. The insights they share here can help leaders make informed decisions about how to leverage emerging trends to best position their businesses for success in the year ahead.
1. Customized Work Hours
Today’s employees want to feel in control of how and when they work. Building resiliency in your organization will allow employees to customize work hours that meet their personal and professional needs. Empowering your workforce with a sense of control and agency will amplify your mission and results. It’s a win-win for all! – Gina Geis, Gina Geis LLC
2. Individual AI Experimentation
For those serious about building artificial intelligence capabilities across their workforce, plan for a bow-and-arrow effect: Your people will have to pull back from the operational chaos and focus on experimenting with the value AI can add to their roles. Only then can they find alignment, sharpen their skills and aim for impactful results. – Sundae Schneider-Bean, Sundae Schneider-Bean GmbH
3. Automating Workflows
In 2025, AI and automation will continue to transform how we work and make decisions. To stay ahead, invest in AI learning, leverage it for strategic insights and ensure its ethical, responsible use. Redefining roles to focus more on creativity and emotional intelligence will help you and your team thrive in this evolving landscape. – Kelly Weber, The Wander Project
4. Competition From Rising Leaders
Today’s executives should be aware of up-and-coming talent poised to compete with them for top jobs. The story of your career ascent is no longer your main qualifier; instead, it’s your ability to evolve the organization and mature your perspective on handling and embracing disruptions, including generative AI and the new perspectives offered by Gen-Z, Gen-Alpha and other emerging leaders. – Laura Smith-Proulx, CCMC, CPRW, CIC, COPNS, CTTCC, An Expert Resume
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5. AI-Powered Decision Support
By 2025, AI-powered decision support will transform leadership. To prepare, leaders must upskill teams to blend AI’s predictive accuracy with human strategic thinking. This collaboration ensures AI handles data complexity while human judgment guides purpose and direction, enabling organizations to make faster, more nuanced decisions and stay agile in a rapidly evolving business landscape. – Andre Shojaie, HumanLearn
6. Low Employee Engagement
Businesses are facing a “Great Detachment,” marked by employees’ low engagement and morale. To restore attachment, start with the underlying issues you’re seeing and rebuild your culture into one that makes your team want to stay. Connect your mission and values to your team’s work. Encourage two-way conversations and make professional development a priority at all levels of the company. – Kathleen Shanley, Statice
7. Hybrid Work Environments
Leaders should be ready for the hybrid working environment and understand how team members’ sense of time relates to their own. The best way to prepare is to ensure you have the emotional intelligence to handle something different, yet potentially refreshing, and determine how to best leverage it for success. – Cornelius (CJ) Barnett Jr., The StanCor Group
8. Leading In The Age Of AI
For leaders, the top trend to understand is how we, as leaders, lead in the age of AI. We must understand what is happening with AI—that is table stakes. I have heard far less from leaders about what leadership looks like. What are the top leadership traits when AI can do part of our jobs? Where do we focus? What are the human skills we need to amplify? – Maureen Metcalf, Innovative Leadership Institute
9. The Rise Of EQ In Leadership
One of the biggest trends in 2025 will be the rise of emotional intelligence in leadership. As AI takes over tasks, the human elements—empathy, adaptability and relationship-building—will define success. Leaders should invest in personal development, fostering emotional agility and resilience and creating people-centric cultures that can adapt to change while nurturing talent and innovation. – Deepa Vohra Bahl
10. RTO And Hybrid Policymaking
More official return-to-office and hybrid policy decisions will be made in 2025. Whatever policy your organization adopts, it is important to develop a clear set of policies, rolled out in advance to allow ample time for employees to transition and adjust. Providing rationales and resources for these policy implementations is key to ensuring they support cohesion and effectiveness. – Natalie McVeigh, EisnerAmper
11. Conscious Business Practices
People in the world today want a shift—they are demanding something different. They want more conscious businesses and business leaders. There will be a trend toward bringing greater awareness to the things that really matter, like people feeling healthy, fulfilled and purposeful at work. Leaders and companies must have conscious business practices that focus on the impact on the whole. – Darla Beam, Darla Beam Leadership & Coaching
12. Widespread AI Integration
One of the biggest trends for 2025 is the integration of AI into every aspect of business. Leaders must prepare with a culture of continuous learning and adaptability. Upskilling teams in data literacy and AI-related technologies is key. Businesses that embrace AI for decision-making, efficiency and customer experience will stay competitive, while those resistant to change risk falling behind. – Abir Haddoud, HAïAT
13. Leading Change
Leading change is one of the biggest trends that will continue at an accelerated pace for 2025. Leaders must lead with insight into what is coming over the next wave and demonstrate the agility to pivot to lead their teams through the sea of change. Proactive leaders who plan for potential changes will be better positioned to show up and lead their teams strategically through them. – Karen Tracy, Dr. Karen A Tracy, LLC
14. Creating A More Resilient Supply Chain
Generative AI and return-to-office mandates are certainly key trends, but creating a more resilient supply chain is another. Geopolitical disruptions, climate change and inflation are just a few challenges currently facing the supply chain. Leaders should take a closer look at their logistics and identify more feasible solutions where capabilities currently fall short. – Jaclynn Robinson, Nine Muses Consulting, LLC
15. The Coming AI-Human Hybrid Workplace
The looming AI-human hybrid workplace is a major trend. This is a world where AI and humans collaborate seamlessly, not just on repetitive tasks but in creative and strategic decision-making. To prepare, leaders should focus on fostering adaptive intelligence in their teams. Start by integrating AI tools into daily operations and building confidence in increased productivity and reducing fear. – Thomas Lim, Centre for Systems Leadership (SIM Academy)
16. A New, Data-Driven HR Landscape
Get ready for a new HR landscape! HR will use mega-data and AI-driven insights to predict workforce trends, identify skill gaps, optimize talent acquisition, continuously upskill and reskill for tech adaptation, and emphasize high-touch interactions for employee well-being. Business leaders must align with HR to enhance workforce management, drive business results and strengthen company culture. – Sarat Chakravarthi, LeadYouth Education