Dive Brief:

• The Workforce Institute of Massachusetts-based Kronos Inc., picked its top 5 workplace trends for 2017.
• The Institute says the new year will focus on giving middle managers the tools, skills and technologies needed to engage employees. Organizations will work on making employees’ experience more rewarding, fulfilling and transparent, the Institute predicts.
• Globally, 2017 will be a key post-election year, requiring employers to contend with ever-evolving laws and regulations. It also cites a greater use of technology to solve retention, turnover, productivity and other workplace problems and free up HR from time-consuming, hands-on tasks.

Dive Insight:

More middle managers will be millennials, so it makes sense for employers to make sure they have the skills and tools needed to drive their organizations.

Global elections are shifting toward more conservative governments. This shift might benefit employers and curtail many pro-labor initiatives, but the push for minimum wage increases, paid family leave and other employee and family-friendly benefits is expected to continue into 2017.