A New Era of Work is Here: Predictions for 2022 and Beyond

Written by Robyn W. Porterfield and Bob Rose, Co-founders of Rose + Porterfield

Recent figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that 4.5 million people voluntarily left their jobs in November of 2021 – an uncontested “all-time high” in the history of the country. Supply chain and shipping challenges have caused issues on a global scale. Social justice issues have been brought to the forefront of our collective consciousness. Each of these hurdles have presented us with a distinct opportunity, and these shifts have given us a glimpse into how businesses – and organizational leaders in particular – are evolving.

A new era of work is here. As we all navigate what this new age means for our businesses, careers, relationships, and more, an entirely new level of intentionality is necessary to adjust and succeed. The following predictions for organizations of all sizes, across all sectors, offer a place to start.

Mentoring will make a big comeback

A 2021 Gallup study found that nearly 66% of U.S. employees feel disengaged at work, up from 64% in 2020 and setting yet another all-time high. Gallup polled workers on basic workplace elements such as productivity, customer service, and retention, but also overall well-being, clarity of expectations, and opportunities for development. Results showed that workers are looking to their team leaders for mentorship and career development guidance and now have higher expectations for their workplace to help them achieve their career aspirations. Young professionals are seeking constructive, meaningful feedback; they are looking for someone who can help them understand their strengths and talents and show them a clear path forward in their careers.

So how can your leaders foster a mentoring environment? By adopting a feedback loop and formal mentorship program. Show your employees you value their work by offering one-on-one coaching opportunities with leadership and providing productive feedback. Having a mentor also gives employees a chance to learn the ins and outs of the business, equipping them with the tools they need to succeed. Formal mentoring programs keep employees actively engaged and connected to organizational goals.

Purpose will fuel loyalty

Having a solid Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy is an often-misunderstood tool for retaining and recruiting employees. However, a recent Cone study stated that 79% of respondents said they would feel more loyalty to a company that works to address social justice issues. In fact, this stance correlates to a stronger emotional connection.

Engage your employees as well as your customers with your CSR to create camaraderie and a sense of unity through purpose. A company’s involvement in community and social issues gives employees a chance to be proud of their place of employment. This demonstrates a greater purpose than simple profitability and links everyone in your organization through a shared commitment.

It is important not only for your current employees but also your prospective employees to see the difference your company is making on a broader scale whenever possible. For example, your company can select a charity to support throughout the year or various organizations to support through volunteer opportunities. Align these efforts with your CSR goals, and your employees will better understand what your company cares about.

Mental health and workplace support will continue to be priorities

Humans are emotional beings – we experience a wide variety of feelings every single day, and our work can be deeply impacted by the things happening in our lives. Pandemic life has promoted a dramatic realization and recognition of all the ways that our lives cannot be divided neatly between “personal” and “professional.” People have been impacted emotionally, which in turn, impacts their ability to contribute to their teams.

Companies that not only acknowledge this but also proactively offer programs to support the emotional well-being of their employees are setting themselves up for greater loyalty, retention, and a stronger workforce. It starts with executives who acknowledge their own humanity, as well as that of their workforce. Leadership can positively impact the well-being of everyone – including themselves – by creating space for people to get the help they need.

A great place to start is by offering an Emotional Intelligence (EQ) assessment that gives a window into the “soft skills” that make an individual successful such as stress management, interpersonal skills, self-expression, and decision making. This assessment can be a powerful tool for understanding how people are feeling, how they have been impacted by outside forces (such as the pandemic), and for fostering a deeper understanding of their tendencies and behaviors. Employees and prospective employees who see a company that cares about the mental health of its workforce will demonstrate a reciprocity of loyalty and have a pressure release valve for addressing burnout and negative feelings before they become toxic.

Adapting to multiple generations will be crucial

The modern workforce is comprised of a vast swath of generations: the retiring and soon-to-retire workers of the Baby Boomer generation, Generation X who are generally in their 40s and 50s, Millennials in their late 20s and 30s, and Generation Z who are in their early 20s and entering a very different work environment than their predecessors. Because of the nature of the world each cohort grew up in, their feelings or comfort with everything from technology and fashion to attitudes, opinions, and motivations can vary significantly.

A recent report from Workday showed that two of the biggest contributing factors to current generational shifts are the rise of Millennial employees in leadership roles, and the entrance of Generation Z into the workforce. These two changes have a massive impact on workplace culture, leadership styles, and approaches to learning, but the report also noted that there are still more similarities than differences among all groups.

Every challenge presents an opportunity, and people from all generations can learn to value each other’s perspectives, communicate well with each other, and adopt the best of each generation’s practices. Effective leaders will work hard to develop programs that serve and address the concerns of their workforce based on their actual needs; not based on generational stereotypes. By supporting people as individuals, leaders can encourage their entire blended workforce, achieve buy-in from all generations, and use this generational diversity to their advantage.

Flexibility will reign supreme

That which bends does not break. The saying is especially true in business. With so many unpredictable factors (market fluctuations, the workforce, policy changes, the list goes on), the companies best positioned not only to survive but also thrive are those that take a posture of strategic reactivity.

When the inevitable unexpected, unanticipated, or unpredictable happens, making proactivity impossible, how does your team react? As businesses that closed or suspended operations in the early days of the pandemic began to map out their reopening strategy, many quickly found a need to pivot from their initial return-to-work plan. There are many variables to consider in complex situations, and any one of them could change the possible outcomes. What seemed like it would work in the first week quickly became untenable for employees, productivity, and profitability by the second week.

The companies that stayed flexible experienced the greatest success. They embraced a plan but stayed open to contingencies. Most importantly, they ensured effective and ongoing communication with all stakeholders. Learning to be strategically reactive – to use all the data and tools at your disposal to create plans, but also to be ready to pivot when needed – will remain a key skillset for successful companies long after a particular challenge has passed.

Final Thoughts

Although the future is uncertain in many ways, these predictions grant us the ability to devise a mode that moves with the times – especially times of extreme change and adjustment. And while the last two plus years have thrown our collective workforce challenge after challenge, lessons and best practices are always available to be found and leveraged. It is no surprise that traditional strategies – building the best team possible, seeking wise counsel, and effectively managing conflicts – remain foundational. These five new opportunities give leaders hoping to gain a greater sense of purpose and direction the chance to peer into the future and use what they see to develop a savvy, empathetic, people-first approach that will drive success for themselves, their people, and their organizations in 2022 and beyond.