It’s time to embrace new workplace strategies

The past two years have required constant adaptation and reconsideration in the workplace. 2020 was the year of settling into a whole new world of problem-solving to maintain existing operations. 2021 was about getting comfortable with those new methods – we all kind of knew what we were doing, and new work shifts became part of our daily lives.

Now, 2022 will be the year of conquering the new workforce rhythm.

Ranging from remote work to diversity and inclusion initiatives, the demands and expectations of the workforce will largely dictate the current evolution of the workplace we’re living through.

As the digitally driven world continues to evolve, fueling collaboration within hybrid and fully remote teams will be the engine that drives the workforce forward.

So, get ready, let’s continue to ride the digital transformation wave together and look at the trends and innovations in 2022 that will help to permanently transform the work world as we know it.

A brick and mortar office will cease to be an essential need

The workforce at large is all in on the new normal of preferring hybrid and remote opportunities, holding employers to that expectation. Home offices have become the new cubicle, and the ability to work from anywhere in the world could be a dealbreaker among current and prospective employees.

As we settle further into remote work and companies truly recognize that full-time on-site positions are becoming a thing of the past, we can expect vast change to take root in the coming year. Companies will begin to move away from in-person positions in order to retain employees and attract new prospects.

One of the key benefits of remote work is that it’s allowing employees to make long-term decisions for their lives and wellbeing that no longer have to be tied to their occupation. You can now work in tech and buy a house by a lake in Utah, if that’s your calling – and your Wi-Fi permits it.

Employees are effectively committing to remote work for the long term with these big life changes. This is a great indicator that hybrid work is not a fad that will pass with the pandemic.

As the concept of hybrid work is still evolving, many companies will choose to move to a completely remote set-up. In 2022 and beyond, we’ll see start-ups and smaller companies skip the traditional brick-and-mortar office approach altogether.

Removing the cost of a physical office space, combined with the added attraction of remote work will save companies money and expand their talent pool, both of which will be a huge boost to those companies trying to make the most of their capital to get off the ground.

Diversity and inclusion will reach a critical turning point

Putting in place strategic diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) programs and policies that extend to the entire organization will be a cornerstone for succeeding in the modern day. The workforce is increasingly more interested in employers that consistently make decisions with consideration for DE&I and foster company cultures that embody these values. Integrating these programs into corporate life will become vital to company advancement.

In 2022, powering the D,E&I ecosystem will be top of mind for business leaders. D,E&I cannot just be a talking point or a PR stunt, but instead must be deeply and fundamentally ingrained in every company decision and should be baked into the foundation of culture, hiring, and leadership.

McKinsey & Company reported diversity and inclusion in the workplace bring higher degrees of engagement, productivity, and innovation. Not only that, but Gartner reported 76% of employees and job seekers say a diverse workforce is important when evaluating companies and job offers, and 37% would not apply to a company that had negative satisfaction ratings among people of color.

Establishing a diversity, equity, and inclusion program, promoting education, and offering HR training will continue to be a central goal for organizations as they navigate the unprecedented change the global workforce is undergoing and move the needle towards corporate and social success.

Verticals will discover which remote and hybrid work tools are right for their needs

While the market for engagement software has flourished during this unexpectedly long period of remote work, there has been little specialization between the various products. As this vast landscape emerged, companies attempted to horizontally integrate their products across all industries in need of engagement tech. As companies jumped into remote and hybrid work models, these products have been eagerly adopted.

However, in the coming year, we will see leaders in the industry begin to focus on specific segments or verticals, resulting in preferred vendors for each. For example, there will be a dominant vendor for the education industry and a different lead vendor for the healthcare industry. Companies currently using products that are suited for horizontal integration will turn to vendors that are specializing specifically for their industries. Like any other vertically targeted product, focused engagement software will allow greater outcomes than broadly targeted engagement software.

While we don’t know what 2022 will bring, companies can start to prepare for uncertainties by creating flexible policies and work structures. The conversations around social and racial inequalities are ever-present, and it will be important that employers have the tools to respond to any related issues, should they arise.

Beyond that, it is necessary that DE&I efforts are ingrained in all company policy and activity. Engagement software brands will have to make a name for themselves in their preferred vertical, as the pandemic brought about an onslaught of new products, with a large deal of overlap and generalization of offerings.

The future of the workforce is constantly changing, but the world’s current situation will continue to push it ahead at a greater speed than could’ve been expected.