Current trends show that the idea of the traditional workplace is outdated and will continue to evolve in 2022. Many industries and HR leaders look at 2022 as the year of upskilling. Over 38 million workers quit their jobs in 2021, so 2022 is a year for employers to invest in their teams and pay attention to their employees' needs. We have researched and found the top 5 trends to take note of in 2022 for your business.
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Building Critical Skills and Competencies
Gartner reported that nearly 60% of HR leaders said that building critical skills and competencies is a top priority in 2022. It's time for your company to increase its focus on professional development. Doing so will significantly improve your team and help grow your business's agility. Making professional development a fundamental part of your organization accelerates your search for management-level positions, strengthens your entire staff, and drastically increases employee loyalty. Honing your leaders' critical and professional skills also adds to your company's resilience and growth potential for the future.
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Embracing hybrid work as here to stay
Often discussed yet under-executed is the trend of hybrid workplaces. Many companies have yet to embrace the option of a hybrid workplace. Since the massive transition began during the COVID pandemic, 75% of hybrid or remote workers are reporting that their expectations for work flexibility have increased, and 4 out of 10 employees plan to leave if they are made to return to an in-person office environment. These numbers are growing, and the idea of employee flexibility is here to stay. The hybrid workspace is an essential benefit for employees and a critical aspect of attracting and retaining talent in 2022 and beyond.
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Creating a culture of well-being
A Glassdoor survey found that when searching for a new job, 77% of people surveyed said they'd evaluate a potential employer's culture before applying for a position. The 2022 workplace is shaping up to emphasize the importance of great leaders. Empathy and employer support are two major topics linked to developing a culture of employee well-being. After going through a global pandemic, companies are expected to create cultures of well-being. Some of the top companies worldwide are working with fitness lifestyle brands to promote healthy living. For example, Samsung and Nasdaq have developed partnerships with Peloton to help employees improve their health. In contrast, Roku and LinkedIn have begun offering unlimited PTO to employees to encourage a healthy work-life balance.
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Focus on Employee Retention
40% of employees stated that they are at least somewhat likely to leave their current job in 3-6 months. Earlier, we mentioned that over 38 million workers left their jobs last year, and this trend will likely continue. There are several reasons why people quit their careers; however, controlling your policies and procedures in your company is a great way to help retain your employees. Providing employees the opportunity to voice their opinions on workplace improvements or additional benefits is an excellent place to start. When job roles remain unfilled, companies lose money. Maintaining a solid team is critical to your bottom line; our recent Learning and Professional Development blog details employee retention and how investing in your group can help.
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Investing in employee development
A study published in 2013 by researchers at Oxford University estimates that just under 50 percent of the U.S.'s total employment has a high risk of automation over the following two decades. Reskilling and upskilling need to become priorities, and creating growth plans for employees will be critical in 2022. Leadership is a vital resource at every level of an organization, and investing in leadership development at all levels is a good, if not critical, investment. 60% of individuals said their managers are not challenging them to learn a new skill. This massive group of professionals may add to that 40% of people considering leaving their job.
Takeaways
Employee investment seems to be the underlying theme of 2022. Caring for your employees can create great strides in your bottom line. Professional development creates higher productivity, increased employee loyalty, and higher employee retention, which all increase revenue.
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June 10, 2022
