DEI rollbacks, AI disenchantment: What’s in and out for workplaces in 2025

We’re all drawn to buzzwords to make sense of changing (and occasionally repeated) trends, and it’s no different for HR professionals and those navigating future-of-work shifts. A year ago, fear-mongering over the acceleration of AI and its threat to all jobs was the dominant topic of conversation, along with a tidal wave of layoffs that occurred just ahead of the festive season. The year before that, quiet quitting was all the rage. 

Next year, with the Trump administration underway, and hype around just how fast AI will transform workplaces making way for more realistic AI goals, workplaces are primed for yet more change. 

We’ve taken a look at which buzzwords and trends are in for 2025.