Future of Work Trends for 2022

2/7/2022 | By Marella Gimenez

For the past two years since the pandemic started, the workforce has witnessed many changes in the workplace. During this pandemic, the need to transform the work setup was for public safety. People had to work from home or remotely and rely heavily on modern technology to get work done.

The transformation of work challenged companies and their employees since they had to adapt from a traditional setup that has been commonly used for years. Now, companies and employers are exploring hybrid work to not only adapt to the new normal but effectively retain talent as well.

Work Trends for 2022

The work trends for 2022 focuses on making our temporary changes for the past two years more sustainable and long-term. Since the pandemic began, business leaders have had to rethink their operations and resources to adapt to the situation.

Both the leaders and workers had to go through a work setup transformation, which is remote working. Organizations were pushed to make new processes to fit the needs of this modern world. Since then, businesses are looking at the different possibilities of working, whether it is remote or on-site.

As we face a new year, business leaders have another opportunity to make decisions for the company. To help you navigate the pandemic, here are some work trends for 2022 that your company could adopt. Leveraging on these trends will not only be helpful for your company but to your employees as well.

Impact of Technology & Automation

Working from home or remotely is something that many people had to adapt to during this pandemic. Although people say that remote working means that you will be in the comfort of your home, we also need to acknowledge the struggles people experience.

The modern work setup relies heavily on technology and automation. However, to access the resources, employees need to have modern technology such as laptops, smartphones, or tablets. We know that these devices cost a fortune, making it difficult for many employees.

In the working from home setup, employees experience being in front of their laptops for hours, even beyond working hours. It is one of the trends in the work-from-home setup that companies are trying to solve.

Technology and automation still bring benefits to the company. Several tools like Zoom and Miro make remote working more effective and efficient. There are also tools that companies are using to manage tasks and their workers' performance. It is no doubt that technology and automation will still be part of the work trends this year. It will be helpful when companies decide to adopt the hybrid work setup.

If you are looking for software and technology tools for remote working, KMC offers a package for employees, including a Zoom license, Cloud HR, etc. With these tools, working remotely will be much easier for you and your employees.

The Growth of Remote & Hybrid Work

Since most workers are currently in remote working, the question of what type of work setup their company will adopt in the future remains. In 2022, we are about to see the growth of remote and hybrid work setups.

Many employees favor remote working since they do not have to commute to work. They also have more time to spend with their family, especially those who can manage their time wisely. However, some employees are willing to undertake a modern workplace transformation, hybrid work.

One of the trends in the future of work in 2022 is the implementation of hybrid work. Hybrid work is a mixed setup of remote and face-to-face working. Typically, employees only need to come to the office two or three times per week, and they will spend the rest of the working days at home. KMC is currently offering COVID-19 business solutions that would enable your company to thrive in a flexible work setup.

Adopting hybrid work carries many advantages. One is its cost-minimizing benefits. Companies would not need many resources like workstations and big office spaces. They could use the money saved for other aspects that could support the employees and the operations.

This trend will influence the future of work in 2022, specifically for places with lighter restrictions on this pandemic. Both remote and hybrid working assures one thing, allowing people to work anywhere, anytime, and on any device.

Employee Well-Being Prioritization

This pandemic taught us that everyone’s well-being is valuable. In the workplace, companies have started prioritizing their employees’ well-being. For organizations that are hiring or aiming to retain employees this year, employee well-being prioritization is a good HR strategy.

As leaders, how can you prioritize your employees’ well-being? One way to do that is to focus on their health. It includes providing mental health support for this pandemic, allowing sick leaves, and increasing health benefits.

Another way to support your employees is by giving proper guidance on remote work setup. Working from home and navigating through modern technologies can be stressful. Helping your employees know their way is essential to decrease stress and increase productivity. Let us not forget to consider workers who lack resources, like laptops, to work. As leaders, we also need to ensure that no one is left behind.

Whatever work transformation your company is going through, prioritizing your employees’ well-being is not something you should forget. This way, shifting towards hybrid work will be less challenging for everyone.

The “Great Resignation”

The great resignation, which began in 2021, is making a huge effect on the labor market. For employees, great resignation is not something negative. In fact, this phenomenon empowers workers.

Commonly, people quit their jobs because they hate the work. However, the great resignation shows that most employees are resigning not because they hate the work but because they are changing careers.

How will career changers affect the labor market? You may think that it increases role competition. However, the actual effect is better — people are getting better at the career they want. They are empowered to make bold career decisions, encouraging more people to do the same.

On the other hand, company leaders are challenged to facilitate better working conditions. Their perception of success, which is centered on job performance, is challenged. Success for many people is now having a better work-life balance. Achieving a work-life balance is one of the main goals of hybrid work, which companies are currently experimenting with.

To help you and your employees build a better work-life balance, the KMC community provides an avenue for personal development. We have coaches and industry experts that will help your company grow personally and professionally.

Increased Demand for Skilled Workers

AI-driven operations are a trend during this pandemic. It leads to new in-demand skills that employers are looking for. As we can see, an employee’s skill set becomes part of the company’s resources that is beyond what an AI can do.

Organizations are looking for employees that could demonstrate their competency using a new skill that will be helpful for the company. It changed the way of hiring processes since employers now focus on one’s skillset and competency over one’s credentials.

If you are looking for staff leasing and HR services, KMC is here to help you. We offer offshore teams in the Philippines. As for hiring employees, we will guide you throughout the process. You have us from the interviews to employee onboarding.

The Importance of Soft Skills

This pandemic taught us the importance of soft skills in our personal and professional lives. In these challenging times, we fear contracting the virus and the uncertainty of the future. It makes the role of business leaders crucial because this is not a time to focus on success alone but also on how they want to act in this situation.

Soft skills like kindness, empathy, and adaptability are what leaders and employees need in this modern world. These skills improve a person’s ability to make decisions both in the short term and long term. These skills are also essential in bringing the business through a crisis and challenges.

Apart from the ongoing pandemic, the soft skills of the leaders and employees are vital in the post-pandemic period. These human resources will enable your company to thrive in the modern work transformation soon.

Millennial Workforce

Millennials play a vital role in the workforce today, especially since we are living in a modern era. Millennials are known as technology natives and team players. They crave work-life balance, which is an ongoing challenge for many people today. KMC also supports the millennial workforce by creating fun events for you and your employees.

Although millennials could adapt to today’s technology and work transformation, they are not very good at staying loyal. It is one problem that companies face.

Since millennials share certain characteristics, it might be challenging for company leaders and organizations to handle them. However, if the leader is a millennial, then the work might be easier.

During this pandemic, millennials are leaving an impact on the workforce. Thanks to them, leaders and employers learned how to communicate, become tech-savvy, and work on flexible schedules. Speaking of flexibility, it is one way to retain millennial employees. That is why remote or hybrid working will most likely work for them.

Employee Development & Upskilling

Since the pandemic began, it is unfortunate that many businesses shut down due to different challenges. However, for other businesses that remained, it is essential to acknowledge the effort of the leaders and employees. We also saw the bravery of new businesses that are still striving to succeed in these challenging times.

Amidst all this, organizations began to understand the importance of employee development and upskilling. It leads to another part of the work trends in 2022, which is focusing less on roles, and more on skills.

A primary reason is that a company could not overcome business challenges if they do not have capable leaders and employees in the workforce. It emphasizes the need for companies to support their employees in their career growth.

To shape a good workplace, KMC has a Hustle & Grind Podcast that tackles different topics about work. We also have inspirational podcasts that could promote personal and professional development.

Conclusion

The information that we shared is only some of the trends on the future of work in 2022. However, these trends are based on what we experienced for the past two years. Leveraging on these trends will help you gain ideas on how you can prioritize your employee’s well-being, increase talent retention, and improve company culture.

Companies are also following most, if not all, of the trends mentioned above. Some of them are already preparing to shift towards hybrid work transformation and improving the current remote work. Other companies’ practices such as increasing the employees’ health benefits and implementing flexible work hours are also key to improving your workplace.