From 2024 to 2025: Challenges and Hopes
8 min read
We have left 2024 behind. Our unique planet witnessed profound technological advancements, dizzying changes in the economy, work life, and social spheres, but also wars and ecological destruction. Challenges in social justice, income equality, and climate justice once again highlighted the need for greater effort in these areas. Despite this, humanity’s potential and hope for establishing justice in all areas remained alive. On this fragile Earth, we seem to be waiting for a tiny spark to change the game; our civilization has accumulated immense possibilities over thousands of years. Now, we look at this accumulation, this unparalleled potential, and seem to see its creativity and destructiveness, its abundance and scarcity, all at once.
Why and how does such abundance create deprivations? Can’t we use our intellect, technology, and culture to turn our unique home, Earth, into a peaceful place? While dreaming of distant planets, gazing far away, we seem to forget that, despite everything, the most livable, richest, most miraculous, and alluring place is still this Earth that stretches beneath our feet. And now, for the first time in history, we have tools no other generation has ever possessed. Why not use these means to make Earth a more just, happier, more peaceful, and more productive place?
Throughout 2024, Talentra focused on offering a unique perspective on these questions through its content while closely following current developments in the business world, economy, and human resources. By developing its business model to adapt to rapid transformations, Talentra evolved into a more flexible and productive structure. After a year filled with economic, social, and ecological uncertainties, we look to the new year with hope and renewed energy.
2024 was recorded as a year of breaking temperature records in various parts of the world. The effects of climate change were evident everywhere, from melting glaciers to forest fires, from droughts and floods to biodiversity loss. While human-caused carbon emissions continued unabated, environmental movements and sustainability initiatives also grew worldwide. However, these efforts were not enough to mitigate the current crisis. Rising sea levels and increasing natural disasters throughout the year made the impacts of ecological destruction on daily life more visible. Scientists and activists emphasized once again the urgent need for systemic change.
2024 was marked by political and social turmoil. Long-standing conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, affected not only the war zones but also the global political and economic balance. Millions of people fled wars, seeking refuge in European countries and neighboring regions, while anti-immigrant policies and societal reactions increased. Ongoing conflicts in the Middle East continued to trigger waves of mass migration.
Elections were held in many countries worldwide, including South Africa, South Korea, India, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, the United States, and Mexico. The U.S. presidential elections once again highlighted the nation’s level of polarization. Both Republican and Democratic candidates used divisive rhetoric during their campaigns. Following the election results, significant protests and debates erupted across the country.
Digitalization continued its rapid pace in 2024. Artificial intelligence technologies, in particular, caused revolutionary changes across various sectors, from business to art. Generative AI applications accelerated business processes but also sparked ethical debates. Issues such as data privacy, algorithmic fairness, and job security became some of the year’s most significant topics. As technology advanced rapidly, humanity entered a period redefining the relationship between humans and machines.
Remote and hybrid working models became a permanent part of work culture in 2024. As employees demanded greater flexibility, companies developed creative solutions to meet these needs. Particularly in technology and consulting sectors, office-independent work models became widespread. However, discussions around work-life balance and employee productivity remained on the agenda. Remote work offered geographical independence for talent, but new strategies were needed to maintain team cohesion.
2024 was a year when the boundaries in the labor market disappeared. With the effects of digitalization and remote work, companies found opportunities to access talent from all over the world. This created new opportunities for both employers and employees but also brought challenges in cultural adaptation and collaboration. The expansion of the talent pool increased competition but also paved the way for a more inclusive and diverse structure in the business world.
2024 was remembered as a year of uncertainties filled with economic fluctuations and social changes. Businesses and individuals had to constantly adapt to manage financial vulnerabilities and keep up with sudden changes. Different dynamics of the global economy heightened awareness of risk management. While uncertainties encouraged new strategic approaches, the concept of resilience became even more important in the business world.
Global crises had profound impacts on the mental health of individuals and societies. Anxiety became both an individual and collective experience throughout the year. Economic uncertainties heightened concerns about the future for many. Declining job security became a widespread source of anxiety for both white-collar employees and blue-collar workers. Many sectors underwent major transformations with the acceleration of digital transformation and AI-based automation, replacing job security with a constant pressure for change and adaptation.
Talentra's 2024 blog posts emphasized critical areas of transformation in the business world.
In our post titled The Future of Work in the Age of Technology, we examined four different job scenarios for 2030. Represented by different colors, the "Yellow World" envisioned a community-focused, ethical brands, and social enterprises-driven world. The "Red World" was dominated by innovation and digital platforms. The "Green World" symbolized social responsibility, sustainability, and trust, while the "Blue World" represented the dominance of large corporations.
Subsequent posts focused on uncertainty and work motivation. Highlighting the challenges and opportunities that arise in times of perceived uncertainty, we explored this complex relationship through various research findings. With the Talentra Work Motivation Survey conducted between February and March 2024, we aimed to reveal the impact of uncertainty on work processes, career planning, and motivation levels. We found that while uncertainty caused intense stress and anxiety, reducing job performance, it also triggered behaviors like seeking new jobs or improving current ones.
In May, we examined the digital transformation journey from clay tablets to smartphones, emphasizing how digital transformation could open new doors for human potential. In June, we argued that recruitment should combine AI and human touch. While Talentra positioned technology as a tool complementing human talent, it also addressed ethical concerns in business processes. For example, our blog post provided guidance for the industry on reducing biases in algorithms.
Workplace mental health became a renewed focus in 2024 and was reflected in our next blog post. We explored what needs to be done to prevent employees from losing productivity due to job stress, mobbing, and mental fatigue. This post was followed by another one focusing on personalized education and skill gaps. We considered how the gap between education and the business world could be bridged, with personalized education approaches being one of the trends Talentra highlighted.
In subsequent posts, we provided suggestions on how candidates could stand out in a shrinking economic atmosphere and discussed why finding a job is becoming increasingly difficult. We emphasized new trends, how candidates can adapt to them, and the role of recruitment agencies in these processes.
Finally, in our last post, based on the LinkedIn 2024 Global Green Skills Report, we explored the current state, evolution, and future trajectory of green jobs. Although areas like renewable energy, energy-efficient construction, and the circular economy create new employment opportunities, we highlighted the ongoing shortage of green talent to meet this demand.
We believe that environmental sustainability will become one of the top priorities for the business world in 2025. As companies undergo more concrete transformations to reduce their carbon footprints, the demand for professionals with green skills will rise. Innovations in the circular economy and renewable energy sectors will lead to significant changes in the global workforce.
Moreover, technologies such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing will be integrated into more sectors. However, leadership approaches emphasizing the importance of the human touch will remain critical for the success of companies.
Remote work and flexible working hours will continue to become more widespread, and we hope to see policies that increase the participation of women and younger generations in the workforce gaining strength. Social justice, income equality, and climate justice will remain some of the most challenging issues, continuing to confront the key players shaping the business world.
As Talentra, we wish for 2025 to be a more just, peaceful, happier, and more productive year. We believe that human culture and social structures possess all the tools necessary to solve economic, social, and environmental problems.
"Little by little, one travels far." (J.R.R. Tolkien)
