Writing exclusively for MediaBrief.com, Shiraz Khan, Founder, and Director of Spicetree Design Agency, outlines how the pandemic has changed the workspace and how in 2022, companies will strive towards providing a fun and stress-free working environment to their team members. He also highlights the trends that will redefine work-life in 2022 and outlines how brands and marketers will shift towards digital to thrive and grow.
The good news is that things have almost returned to normal, and the even better news is that now onward it’s going to be both different and exciting. The new reality that started taking shape in 2021 will be full-blown in 2022, for offering us a delightfully different working experience.
Technology will play an increasingly important part in delivering this experience and many new technologies being developed stand on the threshold of implementation. While predicting everything that’s going to unfold in 2022 requires an XXXL size crystal ball, here are some changes that I feel will take place in 2022.
New Normal, New Policies
The pandemic introduced us to the concept of Work from Home, probably one of the biggest transformations of the digital revolution. Within a span of just a few days, millions of people worldwide shifted their work base from office to home and embarked on an uncharted journey of this paradigm shift.
In 2022, the Human Resource department will sensitively rework some elements of the HR policies and make them conducive for a hybrid home-office model. This will ensure that employees continue giving their best performance in a relaxed ambience, for successfully meeting the company’s business goals.
Skill Up, Go Up
If you think your degree will make you go further in 2022, you need to seriously rethink! The degree days are all but gone and, in the new normal, it’s going to be skill sets that will drive careers to the next level.
No new-age skills, no growth – it’s that simple. The pandemic has well and truly transformed people into skill-seekers, and this is going to radically transform the job market in the coming year. If you’ve not yet acquired a new skill that makes your job-relevant in 2022, get going!
From Office, From Home
It’s great that things are opening, and a large percentage of the population is now fully vaccinated. Now, the biggest challenge for companies will be moving from a pure work-from-home model to a work-from-anywhere model.
While this sounds exciting for employees, companies will have to see how they can provide a balanced mix of both working options, which ensures both, the safety and efficient performance of employees.
Healthy Minds, Better Performers
It’s a fact that the Covid phase has made us realize the importance of mental health for ensuring optimum performance in our personal and professional lives.
In 2022, companies will strive towards providing a fun and stress-free working environment by organizing entertaining workshops and activities full of fun and games activities. This will ease the pressure of work on employees and keep them mentally relaxed.
New Ways, More Revenue
Companies will take outsourcing to a new level by involving specialist companies and individuals in executing key tasks while keeping control of the business with themselves. This would be in areas of finance, equipment acquisition, and talent management.
Less Travel, More Work
In the changed scenario, companies will willingly give employees the option to do an outstation meeting on a Zoom call, thereby saving money on traveling and accommodation and keeping the employees safe. No wonder employees are excited to step into 2022.
Digital First Buyers & Products
It’s a digital world and there’s no questioning that! To thrive and grow in this changing environment, brands and products will shift towards digital presence. This will help them to be considered everywhere. No digital presence, no business.
One Income No More
The pandemic has taught people that depending on just one for living a decent life income is not enough. In 2022, employees will happily create a second or even a third source of income. Even students will turn their hobbies into a steady source of income through online assignments, without even stepping out of their homes! Now that’s less stress on parents who are supporting their children.
Gig Will Be Big
Next year, the gig economy is poised to grow exponentially, with companies set to increase their involvement with creative professionals across multiple disciplines like specialist writers, core digital professionals, and such. This will ensure that companies do not have to hire such individuals and use them on an assignment basis, thereby saving a fixed monthly outgo.
Core-Specialization
Companies have realized the importance of being specialists in their domain. Companies will get deeper into their specialization domains and would use more AI & ML to do so.
Summing up
The year 2021 was full of learning many new things while also unlearning many old ways and techniques. Now the upcoming year is going to be the year of implementing these learnings and keep evaluating and optimizing the results from them. Exciting times ahead, so buckle up and enjoy the exciting drive on this new Expressway called 2022.