Predictions are always fun. I get around to lots of different industries and work environments, and sit in the councils of the wise and hear their thoughts.
Based on some of those interactions, I’m going to make some predictions for 2022. At the end of this post, you can leave yours in the comments section.
So, here’s what I see happening:
Hybrid is here to stay
So many people have gotten used to working from home (and loving it) that it’s going to become a permanent part of many company’s working arrangements.
Companies have also enjoyed freeing up office space and shouldering reduced costs.
Of course, it doesn’t work for everyone, nor does it work for every business model.
Hard to be a service company and work from home. Also hard to raise 3 kids in an apartment and work from home!
But one of my predictions for 2022 is that 20% of business will change to online interaction. Not 20% of businesses, but 20% of every business.
Nothing beats face-to-face, but we’ve now learned that a lot of the pain-in-the-rear-end in person meetings are unnecessary. Driving in, finding parking, walking to the meeting place and so on can be done much more efficiently online.
I rejoice every time my commute is 18 seconds from the kitchen to my office, instead of 60 minutes downtown. Don’t you?
Meetings designed to get things done will go online, and meetings designed to build trust will be in person.
The degree that you believe this largely depends on your age too. If you’re over 40 or 50, you might scoff at this. If you’re under 30, you probably get it, and agree with this prediction for 2022.
I can only say that younger people especially really value a more flexible work life and often look for that in employment packages.
Competition for talent will increase
It used to be that finding customers was the focus of every business. Today, for the first time in my life, the competition isn’t for customers, but for team members to serve those customers. And in many cases, customers have to be happy with what they can get and be grateful for it too.
Supply chain issues mean that ‘stuff’ isn’t always easy to get.
- I’ve been waiting for five months for my new hot tub cover
- My daughter can’t find a decent used car after weeks of looking daily
- Construction clients are shorted on basics like nails and rebar and concrete
The customer isn’t king anymore. The employee is king. What a world!
One day this will change and the economy will correct, but for now that’s the way it is.
This leads seamlessly to my next prediction…
Strong cultures will win
Why did customers buy from you five years ago? Because you met their unmet want better than your competitor. So, why do employees choose a company to work with/for today? Because that company meets their unmet want better than their ‘competitors.’
And for most candidates, the unmet want isn’t money. It’s culture. They want to work at a place where good work is appreciated, and good people prized. They want mentorship and they want to be included in direction and decisions.
They want difficult people dealt with and/or offboarded. They want positivity.
In short, they want to enjoy where they work!
Do you have an awesome culture that people want to be part of? Would your current team strongly recommend your company as a place to work at if a close friend asked their opinion?
If you’re not sure, take my free culture checklist/assessment here and see how you stack up compared with the best:
https://professionalleadershipinstitute.com/templates/culture-checklist/
Celebrate where you’re doing great. Work on areas that need attention. Best culture wins, today more than ever.
Inflation will increase
In any predictions for 2022, this one is a no brainer.
There is only one cause of inflation in an economy. It isn’t unions or ineffective workers or global competition or anything else.
The one and only cause of inflation is when the government increases the money supply, which it has been doing now for a long time.
When this happens, you know without doubt that inflation is coming. In our case, it’s here and going to get worse.
That means that we all have to be on top of fair wages and count on our own costs (and prices) rising.
People will quietly ignore COVID regulations
I’m not taking sides here. There’s a huge variety of opinions on this issue, and I find that what you believe about this issue often depends on your DISC score, and on the industry you’re part of.
On one side of the spectrum is health and safety, and on the other is rights and freedoms. We’re all somewhere on that continuum.
For my part, I judge no one and accept all.
But at least in the circles I frequent, I see people simply accepting COVID and related strains as just another one of the risk factors we all face as we live in our modern world.
Despite the fact that people we love die in car accidents, we get used to that grim reality and keep on driving. We also wear seatbelts to reduce our risk of injury.
I predict that the vulnerable will (and should) always take extra precautions, and the younger and healthier will quietly move on and get on with things. I see it already in younger people, who often give no thought to the risk.
Again, not taking sides here, just making a prediction!
And hey, maybe I’m wrong in my predictions for 2022. What I’d like to know is, what do you predict for 2022? Don’t write me privately about what they are 😊. Instead, leave your predictions in the comments section below.
Oh, and have a happy new year too!
Getting ahead is about getting started,
Trevor Throness is a speaker, consultant, and author of “The Power of People Skills.” He is also co-founder and senior instructor at professionalleadershipinstitute.com https://professionalleadershipinstitute.com/
Find more about “The Power of People Skills” here: https://www.amazon.com/Power-People-Skills-Dramatically-Performance/dp/1632651068
