The past two years have been anything but business as usual. But we’re all slowly finding a new normal, and certain trends are beginning to emerge. As we enter 2022, here are some of the most popular workplace trends we’re expecting to see.
Remote and Hybrid Working Options
In the spring of 2020, the world shut down. Workplaces shifted nearly overnight to remote operations, for what everyone thought would be a few weeks at most. But as weeks turned into months, and eventually years (with this trend accelerating into 2021), many employers made a surprising discovery: remote work can be incredibly successful!
Many offices have now reopened, but most are continuing to offer partially or fully remote options. And the hybrid workplace has emerged as one of the most popular workplace trends. Even if your operations require on-site employees, you may want to look into offering flex-time, compressed workweeks, or other flexible options.
Improved Workplace Culture
The labor shortage is real and is likely to continue for some time. In response, many employers are looking into new ways to attract and keep talent. Improving your work culture is a key element. Redesign workspaces to allow for both collaboration and social distancing. Find ways to engage with remote workers. Treat your employees as individuals. Sponsor teambuilding events. Emphasize a culture that promotes and encourages education, career development and learning. The stronger the workplace culture, the more workers will want to be part of the team.
An Increased Shift Towards Temporary Help Usage
The pandemic induced an artificial, but very real, recession on the world. Businesses closed or were severely hampered, supply chains were disrupted, and corporate earnings took a tumble. As with most recessions, this caused business leaders to again rethink the most effective way to manage staffing requirements. This has lead to an increased demand for temporary help (especially in the logistics, industrial, and manufacturing sectors), outsourcing of recruiting, and an increase of temporary employees in the total workforce. In fact, there has been a dramatic uptick in the use of onsite staffing solutions to increase productivity at many work places.
Increased Usage of Direct Hire Services
Just like real estate, candidates are going quickly. With a tight labor market, “speed to hire” can be paramount and using a staffing agency to help with process can insure you find and hire the best talent for your company. Direct hire services offer the ability to find both active and passive candidates and allows you to outsource much of the recruiting, screening, and vetting process – saving you time and money.
Renewed Focus on Company Mission
The pandemic and related corporate changes required many businesses to rethink their strategies and go back to basics. Today’s companies need to be agile, flexible, and able to pivot. One of the easiest ways to do this is to tear down bureaucracy and red tape. Simplifying and returning to the core company mission and vision is one of the best workplace trends for 2022.
More Attention on Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity and inclusion were becoming increasingly important before the pandemic. And now, they’re essential for attracting and retaining top employees. Go through your job descriptions to remove any racially or gender-biased language. Use software to strip identifying information such as home address and college name out of resumes before reviewing them. Consider creating a diversity and inclusion panel at your company, made up of both executives and front-line workers, to address existing problems and spearhead new initiatives.
The modern workplace is agile and flexible, with a key focus on improving culture for everyone. Take some time now to review your policies and upcoming workplace trends, and you’ll be in a strong position for 2022 and beyond.
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