Although there were strong indications that we should expect more stability in 2022, there continues to be significant transitions in the business world. For employers, this carries risk but also a significant opportunity.
In one major transition, companies are bringing once-remote employees back into the office. However, new expectations around flexibility have employees pushing back. Furthermore, there continues to be high churn in the labor market, and employers should aim to attract the top job seekers currently looking to move on from their current job. Additionally, managers are seeing their roles change, and companies are getting better at tracking employee engagement.
What Current Work Trends Are There This Year?
The Push for Back-to-Office
Even though some companies made commitments toward increased remote work and greater flexibility, many employers are making it compulsory for their desk-based employees to fully return to the office, as the public health justification for remote work has waned.
Some company leaders were never comfortable with the idea of letting people work from home, and these folks are happy to move away from the great remote working experiment. Additionally, effective management systems for hybrid and remote teams haven’t had time to fully replace the legacy approach.
The massive switch to remote work will continue to disrupt the workplace as employees and managers try to figure out the best way forward.
High Turnover and the Growing Influence of Flexibility
With labor shortages affecting nearly every industry, job seekers (and potential job seekers) are in the driver’s seat. Additionally, the adoption of remote work technologies means desk-based workers are less bound by geography when it comes to finding a new job.
Furthermore, expectations around flexibility and some employers’ refusal to meet them appears to be increasing turnover. A 2021 report from PwC found 83 percent of surveyed employees saying they wanted to keep having the option to work from home at least one day per week.
Shifting Roles for Managers
Employers are increasingly adopting business software that allows managers to streamline or fully automate tasks like scheduling and monitoring employee’s daily progress. These solutions are giving managers more time and as a result shifting their roles. Rather than managing tasks and handling paperwork, managers are increasingly expected to handle strategic challenges.
In companies that last employees during the pandemic, managers are also being spread thinner across a greater geographic area, thanks to for help of remote work technology.
Remote Tools Creating Engagement KPIs
Before the days of remote work, members of an organization would mostly interact face-to-face or over the phone. These interactions were highly effective but difficult to quantify.
With remote software, organizations are increasingly able to measure employee engagement and performance based on metrics produced by remote work platforms.
Subsequently, these new key performance indicators are fueling efforts to boost engagement and productivity. For instance, internal communications professionals can look to engage employees who do not open many company emails or participate in Slack conversations.
We Can Help You Win More Talent in 2022
At The Finders, we’re working with clients on a daily basis to help them handle business volatility and the current labor market. Please contact us today to find out how we can help your organization.
