9 workplace trends that will define 2022
What workplace trends will define 2022?
To gain some insight on this, we asked business professionals and leaders this question for their insights. From sharing top talent to prioritising health, there are several trends that will likely define the workplace in 2022.
Expect companies to share top talent
In 2022, more people will be working at multiple workplaces and taking up projects from different industries. We already see the trend that employees opt for more flexible work arrangements and don't want to be tied up to one company. Companies will need to "share" top talent and acquire an outside workforce to support their in-house staff. That's why it'll be crucial for the companies to attract the best employees to work for them.
As an employer, you need to be open to people's suggestions and find creative ways to address their needs. For some people, online yoga classes might be a great benefit, whereas, for others, reimbursing their commuting costs might be a better option. Make sure you offer diverse benefits that will make your employees happy to work for you.
Location-agnostic recruiting
Allowing employees to work from anywhere is definitely a trend that will continue in 2022. In addition, many companies have begun recruiting employees nationwide or globally, even from places they don’t have a base. This is changing the game for many employees and employers. Companies can access a wider talent pool and workers will have even more flexibility as a result.
Bill Glaser, Outstanding Foods
Find ways to reduce stress
Encourage employees to have a good work-life balance and exercise self-care. Most of us have been facing more stress due to the pandemic. Getting enough sleep and exercise should be a top priority, which can help alleviate tension. Employers in 2022 will be looking for even more ways to help their employees reduce stress levels.
Stay put with reduced travel budgets
Between increased comfort and competence in video conferencing, reduced travel budgets, and environmental sustainability goals, business travel is expected to remain limited in 2022. This will mean more time at home and less time on the road in 2022.
Wesley Jacobs, Apollo Medical Travel LLC
Watch for companies pulling out all the stops
Labour shortages will still be a problem in 2022, so businesses will need to pull out all the stops if they're looking to hire.
Employees are now in the driver's seat, and they're prioritising a positive company culture, a healthy work-life balance, and flexibility when it comes to where and when they work. Companies will need to up their game when it comes to their recruitment methods and shine more of a light on these things, compared to salary.
Increase in hyper-automation
The pandemic, followed by the Great Resignation, left many companies short on employees. Many businesses started to rely more on digital technologies to fill the void. What started as a quick fix soon had companies realising that the shift towards automation was happening sooner than expected.
Next year, it’s projected that the hyper-automation market will top $600 billion dollars. As companies continue to struggle to find talent and costs remain an issue, hyper-automation will be a trend that will continue to grow well into the future.
Focus on a healthier workplace
The office environment has a significant impact on staff performance and productivity. In a variety of ways, creating a healthy work environment may be a game-changer. For starters, it reduces costs of things such as turnover and absenteeism. Some of these, if not addressed appropriately, might bring your company to its knees.
Employee happiness, morale, and motivation are all boosted by a positive work environment. As a result, employees become more focused on their work and perform to the best of their ability. What’s clear is that a healthy workplace is critical to your company's overall performance.
Expand on soft skills
As we continue in a fast-paced digital era, we’ve seen employers place greater value on meaningful connections. This involves soft skills, which are becoming the most vital, sought-after skills in the business world. From empathy to communication skills, soft skills offer a peaceful and productive workplace, and new hires with these skills are helping to accomplish this.
Engage remote workers
It can be easy for remote employees to feel disconnected from one another as well as from the companies they work for, since they aren’t able to see each other every day at the same office. Thus, companies with remote work models will implement more initiatives to make their employees feel more engaged.
For example, there could be more virtual team bonding activities so that remote employees can get to know one another better, as well as rewards for high performance to keep these employees more driven and loyal to the companies they work for. Initiatives such as these will prove that remote employees can truly feel like they are a part of a team.
