The last two years have been tough for individuals and businesses alike, as we begin to emerge from the lockdown era now is the time to do some future thinking on how to make the most of the learnings of COVID-19. There are some key workforce trends coming into 2022 and many of them can be traced back to the forced changes on how we worked throughout the pandemic. Here are some of the most common changes to be aware of post pandemic.
Hybrid Workplaces
The biggest trend that we’re already seeing emerge is the opportunity for hybrid working. Prior to COVID-19 there were three main models of workplaces – centralised workplaces (office locations where all staff work together), decentralised remote organisations (‘virtual’ offices that were using Zoom pre-pandemic), and the hybrid approach.
In 2022 it’s likely that there will be a push for the employee to choose how to work rather than what the organisation decides. It’s important to keep in mind the importance of providing a choice, post-pandemic a lot of employees are feeling the effects of Work from Home Burnout and feeling that their work and personal lives are merging into one in a negative way.
While this may seem like it only suits the employee, employers can assess how their workforce wants to work and potentially downsize office spaces – saving huge amounts of overhead and operating costs. Moving into the New Year it may be beneficial to survey your staff or have an open forum discussion on how you work moving forward to get a happy medium for all and set your business up for succe
ss in 2022.
Staffing for Resilience
Before the pandemic resourcing was focused on finding the best staff to create the most efficient workforce. The introduction of ‘The Great Resignation’ has also resulted in more job vacancies than ever before allowing job seekers to be picky about where they choose to work and what they’re looking for in an employer.
This has led to employers’ emphasis shifting to understanding of the importance of employee wellbeing and support and prioritising work life balance whilst also creating a resilient workforce with overlaps in skills and capabilities across staff.
More and more businesses are putting their focus on hiring for the skills needed to drive a competitive advantage, compared to hiring for roles which group together a sometimes overly broad group of unrelated skills. Identifying which core skills can address common business challenges and the competencies attached to these goes hand in hand with the idea of a ‘flat’ organisational structure. This also leads to more autonomy and motivation for individuals in the workforce as they feel valued for their talents.
Sustainability
The term ESG (Environmental Social Governance) has been popping up more and more frequently as discussions about Net Zero Emissions and Carbon Neutral also grow. It can also be included into the umbrella term of Sustainability.
Investors, partners, customers, and employees are all beginning to recognise the importance of a sustainable future and will seek out a business that is consciously considering its impact on the environment and society. Additionally sustainable products and services will become the norm with customers opting for sustainable alternatives wherever they can. The passion behind driving a sustainable future can also be harnessed in your workplace and in turn lead to improved culture and attracting talent that will fight for what they believe in.
Moving into 2022 its important to plan for how you want your teams to work together and how you can re-build your sense of connectedness and culture after 2 years of uncertainty. Considering Hybrid Workplaces, Staffing for Resilience and Sustainability are only the beginning of a new frontier of how people work and view their jobs and careers.
If you are looking to optimize your organisation in 2022, get in contact with TMS Consulting at solutions@tmsconsulting.com.au.
