2024 promises to be a consequential year for employers. The U.S. is preparing for an election that could significantly impact the future of employment and labor law. At the same time, businesses continue to wrestle with cultural changes stemming from the pandemic and are confronting newer challenges such as the disruptive impact of artificial intelligence (AI).

As employers face change and uncertainty on several fronts, Littler’s 12th Annual Employer Survey provides a window into how employer expectations and workplace policies are evolving. The survey was completed by more than 400 in-house lawyers, business executives and human resources professionals—36% of whom hold C-suite positions—based across the U.S. and representing a range of company sizes and industries.

This year’s survey finds employers anticipating more regulatory enforcement, but a slower pace of legislation as lawmakers prepare for a divisive election. Laws governing AI use in HR functions are the major exception, with approximately half of employers expecting to see legislative developments this year as both state and federal lawmakers look to impose guardrails on the nascent technology. At the same time, employers are still recalibrating workplace policies around hybrid work, disability accommodations, pay equity, diversity and inclusion, and more following pandemic-era upheaval and lasting cultural shifts.

View The Littler^® Annual Employer Survey, 2024 Report

Disclaimer
The survey questions and their resulting findings do not represent any specific political affiliation or preferences of Littler, nor do they convey or constitute legal advice.