The huge office ‘icks’ young Aussie employees are complaining about in 2024 – and you’re probably guilty

An expert with more than 25 years of experience has shared his definitive ‘ick’ list for offices in 2024 – and almost all Aussies are guilty of at least one.

Craig Sneesby, the Managing Director of U&U Recruitment Partners, has noticed a huge change in attitudes in the office, especially as more people return to the workplace after long periods at home.

Here he sounds his key “alarm bell behaviors” at FEMAIL – from passive-aggressive email tone to micromanagement and inflexible working hours.

Craig Sneesby (pictured) is an expert on how bosses can prevent their employees from getting the plague.

1. Constant availability expectations

A flexible workplace does not mean that you always have to be available for your employer.

So it’s no surprise that being expected to respond immediately or always be available outside of work hours is an employee’s biggest turn-off.

“Candidates want to hit the pause button at work when the day is over. Do you expect them to be available 24/7? That’s a big no-no,” he said.

‘Respect those boundaries, so that everyone can recharge and get the best out of themselves when they are ‘on’.’

2. Creating a toxic workplace culture

Employers would also do well to keep office drama, gossip and office politics clear and keep the focus on creating a workplace culture that is fun, uplifting and positive.

Employees are increasingly drawn to workplaces and employers that demonstrate inspiring leadership, flexibility and empathy. The old style of dictatorship is disappearing.

“They want to work somewhere that feels more like a team meeting place than a high school cafeteria,” Craig said.

3. Email slip-up

It seems no one wants to read an overly formal or long email from their boss either. Craig recommends that you avoid this by being direct and having a comfortable level of informality that is more like how you would speak in person.

“Cut the chase,” Craig said. “Long, stuffy emails are so from the last decade.”

Trusting employees and giving them the freedom to manage their time reduces stress

Employees should also avoid unnecessarily emailing the boss. Mr. Sneesby compares this to inviting the director to a group chat about weekend plans. Nobody wants to be guilty of that.

Craig’s latest email mistake is sending repetitive follow-up emails.

“Don’t do that,” Craig warned. “If you find yourself wanting to do another follow-up test, it may be appropriate to ‘chill’ instead, or if that doesn’t work, try a different approach.”

A positive workplace, where drama and gossip are avoided, ensures that employees are not affected

4. Inflexible working hours

Flexibility and trust are key to keeping staff happy, says Craig.

He advises that if an employee wants to start early or work late, they should “let them do that 10 a.m. yoga class without watching them.”

Entrusting them with the freedom to manage their own time is what he calls the “secret sauce to a happy workplace.”

5. Assess emoji usage

Recruitment expert Craig is – perhaps controversially – encouraging bosses to embrace the emoji.

He also cautions that managers should keep communication light and respectful and never be passive-aggressive.

If you are an employer who is guilty of not always being friendly and who may suffer from anger at times, a smiley emoji can still come in handy.

Make sure you avoid these top 10 emojis that will definitely make you look too ‘old’.

6. Toxic properties

There are three things that won’t work in 2024: authoritarianism, inflexibility and a lack of empathy.

‘Stop the dictator act, keep an open mind and show some heart! Empathy is not just a buzzword; it’s essential,” Craig said.

“Leaders who understand and care about the feelings of their team and actually treat employees like human beings rank highly in the modern workforce.”