4 ways to work smarter and manage better in 2024

The desire to start fresh in the new year applies to work, too. 

Whether it's finding new ways to maximize productivity, improving how you engage on Zoom, opening up the lines of communication on hot topics like return to work, or taking a page out of Gen Z's book, there are plenty of opportunities to make changes to your style this year. 

If hitting deadlines is a big resolution for you, understanding how to navigate a mental block can get you past the frustrating process of feeling stuck. Hollie Castro, chief people officer at project management software Miro, shares a few tips to getting through a block: Reaching out to some trusted people that can help you brianstorm, asking your manager for support, or simply getting up and taking a break to clear your head can shake out the feeling that a project seems too challenging to complete. 

"There's some stigma around, am I failing if I get blocked? But it actually happens across the board in all disciplines," Castro says. "Create an environment where people feel safe enough to say, 'I don't know how to do this,' or 'I'm feeling overwhelmed.'"

Read for more ways to clear distractions from your work day: Improve your focus in 2024 by banishing mental blocks

Whether you're on the job hunt preparing for interviews, or want to connect more effectively with your team, making some minor adjustments to your Zoom habits can make a big difference. Body language tweaks like looking at the camera lens and avoiding touching your face or hair could help establish more authority in video calls, explains Rachel Cossar, co-founder and CEO of Virtual Sapiens, a platform that helps workers master their online communication skills. 

"Video is the only digital channel of communication where body language is front and center," she says. "The visual representation of ourselves over video makes this channel so powerful and human. Being aware of how we come across and the messages our nonverbal [cues] may be sending is critical."

Read for more changes you can make to your Zoom presence: Get video meetings right: Body language dos and don'ts

Running an effective workplace comes down to communication between managers and their teams. Yet both groups are still at odds over a few key issues, like return to work, the continued need for mental health support and the impact of burnout. Checkr, an employee background check platform, found that while 68% of managers would like to see remote work continue, for example, only 48% of employees agree. Employees may feel like they haven't been given the right tools and support to truly thrive in this environment, says Sam Radbil, founder of Radbil Media Strategies.

"Employees would like to get back to the office because they want to be in front of their manager," Radbil says. "They want to showcase what they're doing every day, and they may feel they lack progression career-wise. In terms of stages of your career — manager versus employee — a disconnect might occur."

Read more about resolving disagreements before it's too late: Managers and employees at odds over RTO, mental health and more

If you're looking for examples of good management to model in 2024, you may find it in an unexpected place. Gen Z managers are proving that their strengths lie in their communication and feedback skills, and they're highly motivated to do a good job, according to recent data from Resume Builder. Gen Z employees are modeling the behaviors they want to have in their own managers, a good lesson to keep in mind this year, says Sana Lall-Trail, senior data journalist at Culture Amp.

"As Gen Z moves up the ranks in leadership, they will start to really enact the behaviors that they're looking for from their own managers and from their own leaders," Lall-Trail says. "So it's important for current leaders to be as transparent as possible and explain the broader purpose of the work they're doing now."

Read: Think Gen Z has too much to say? That's what makes them good managers