It holds true what they say: change is the only constant, and the work environment is going through more shifts than ever before.

Workplace norms have developed in methods we couldn’t have actually envisioned due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and keeping up with these changes can feel tough and stressful– not to mention high-stakes.

The problem: We can’t actually see the future. Here’s the great news: We’ve done our research and gathered some insights on upcoming workplace patterns to assist you better strategy and prepare for the ever-evolving future ahead.

What are workplace patterns?

What exactly are workplace patterns? Well, we have actually already developed they aren’t a specific look at the future of the workplace.

Workplace trends are anticipated business modifications that will continue to increase and grow over time. These forecasts are valuable due to the fact that they assist us understand what to anticipate in the world of work. Once you understand the recent modern-day office trends, you can shift how your company runs to assist stay up to date with the times.

And we don’t pull these office trends out of thin air. They’re based upon market research, surveys, pattern data, and talking to staff members to comprehend what they want from employers. Feel confident that while we do not have a crystal ball, they’re a lot more than a random guess at what offices will appear like going forward.

Why is it essential to understand the future of work patterns?

Here’s the deal: It’s difficult to avoid the future of work– no matter what it appears like.

While we can’t keep away from it completely, we can attempt to comprehend it and supply businesses with the opportunity to prepare. That’s the essence of why companies need to know and care about the future of work patterns: ultimately, they help them stay competitive in the market.

8 predictions of modern-day workplace trends for 2022

What does the next year or so hold? We have actually assembled eight modern-day office patterns we’re anticipating to see in 2022 and the years that follow, including:

• More centralized communication
• Hybrid work designs
• More focus on work-life balance
• Work environment wellbeing
• Coworking companies returning to the landscape
• Moving employment trends from The Fantastic Resignation
• More personal and professional development
• Investments into DEI and more diverse workplaces

Let’s take a look at each one of these in higher detail.

1. An ongoing concentrate on centralized communication

With groups dispersed throughout areas and time zones, centralized communication will continue to rise to the leading edge to assist battle communication overload and miscommunication amongst staff member.

Years earlier, instantaneous messaging tools flooded work environments and included a new, urgent layer of communication to the picture. A Report Linker survey revealed that respondents who utilized an instantaneous messaging tool at work felt pressured to react instantly and felt disturbed when concentrating on their work. Picture how that pressure has actually increased with instantaneous messaging tools becoming a main form of communication among lots of groups as a result of the shift to remote work.

A McKinsey report recommended that when teams are better linked and interacting successfully, they see a 20-25% boost in productivity– a massive win for employers and workers. On the flip side, bad interaction costs little companies of 100 staff members approximately $420,000 each year.

For these factors (on top of a growing distributed labor force), numerous enterprise business are chasing consolidated communication platforms and streamlined work management. Consolidation can assist minimize confusion or, worse yet, a complete lack of interaction that empowers workers to do their best work with all of the appropriate info needed.

More centralized and streamlined interaction is a modern-day office trend we have actually called out before, and we’ll continue to see it gain steam.

2. The (increasing) increase of a hybrid labor force

Hybrid work existed before the COVID-19 pandemic, however not to the extent that we will continue to see in 2022 and beyond.

A hybrid workforce can appear like one day in the company’s office per week, 2 days of operate in a cafe, and two from home. It can likewise appear like 2 days in the business’s office each month and the rest from a remote place inside an Airbnb. Essentially, employees have the autonomy to decide where they get their finest work done.

Hybrid work models have ended up being more typical considering that the pandemic. These models aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, either, as companies aim to supply more versatile work structures and remain competitive in the marketplace.

Research study at Microsoft revealed that staff members desire the best of both worlds, with over 70% of employees wanting flexible remote work alternatives. On the other hand? Over 65% of individuals are also craving more time with their teams. As a result, 66% of service decision-makers favored redesigning business offices to accommodate both sides of the spectrum– a hybrid work environment.

Where does this pattern leave companies? They’ll require to consider what hybrid work indicates for their organization and find ways to provide workers the versatility they desire while all at once satisfying the requirements of business. It can be a big win for both sides of the coin, but it requires crystal clear expectations, limits, and individual accountability.

3. A focus on work-life balance

Work-life balance has bumped its method to the top of staff members’ requirements list over the last few years, and we will continue to see an emphasis placed on this job consideration. Nowadays, it’s thought of as more than simply a perk– it’s a need.

Sure, digital tools allow workers to work whenever and any place. The lines between work and house have become significantly blurred, with numerous companies picking to let their workers work remote-first completely.

Hear us out: Remote-first companies are fantastic, however it can be difficult for workers to find ways to separate work and life without the physical office and weekday commute as on and off switches.

In a recent IBM study that surveyed 14,000 consumers, workers were asked what employers ought to use to engage staff members. 51% of workers put work-life balance at the top of their list, making it the most-desired offering by far.

What does this mean for companies? Competitive wages aren’t the only benefits of the job staff members are trying to find anymore. Workers wish to work for their paycheck and discover time to utilize that hard-earned money to enjoy their lives outside of work.

4. Work environment health and wellbeing will be a top priority

It’s obvious that the working environment is much different than it looked a couple of years ago. The kitchen area table where staff members eat supper with their family every night may also be where they take their Zoom calls throughout the workday. Add in uneasy furnishings, bad posture leading to headaches, and extended working hours that result in burnout, and you have the ultimate dish for bad wellness.

To resolve these concerns as employees continue to work from house or a remote area, we anticipate to see workplace wellbeing as a major concern.

Wellable released a 2021 Worker Wellness Market Trends Report in which they highlighted that 88% of employers purchased psychological health, 87% in telemedicine, 81% in stress management/resilience, and 69% in mindfulness and meditation. Employers are paying attention to the need to focus and shift on supporting staff member health and wellbeing, so be on the lookout for more of these types of programs in the coming years (and prepare to provide them if you want to stay competitive in regards to recruitment and retention).

5. Coworking business will be on the increase

Prior to the pandemic, some companies included business coworking spaces into their flexible work techniques and budget preparation. The need for these centralized and embellished offices is on the rise to support hybrid work models.

Typically speaking, employers turn to coworking areas to decentralize their corporate office space, support employees who work from another location, and decrease their long-lasting lease dedications to release them from the monetary concern of an expensive office. Take Pinterest, the social-sharing giant, who paid $89.5 million to terminate its San Francisco workplace lease so the company could reassess how to much better plan for a distributed labor force going forward.

According to Forbes, coworking business like WeWork and its rivals might be in a favorable position as remote employees look for other locations for their workday beyond their houses. Coworking areas can provide comparable group working conditions and camaraderie without companies needing to take on business real estate costs, that makes this a pattern we certainly expect seeing more of in 2022.

6. Employment trends will continue to respond to “The Fantastic Resignation”

We’ve already pointed out that the work landscape has actually considerably altered following the COVID-19 pandemic. But the fact is that’s a huge understatement.

You might have heard of something created “The Fantastic Resignation,”– an extreme shift in work (or voluntary unemployment) occurring throughout nearly all industries.

When we state staff members are leaving their jobs in droves, we suggest it. Proof recommends numerous factors for high turnover rates, including family pressures at home, resuming of business workplaces, stagnant pay, and, perhaps most significantly, a newly found desire to do more meaningful work.

We can’t say for sure what this indicates as we look towards the future, however we expect to see turnover rates continue to be impacted as we head into 2022. The labor force is still progressing into its new future state coming out of the pandemic, so all we can do is buckle up and delight in the ride.

7. Personal and professional advancement will take center stage

Workplace advantages like free lunches, company-sponsored happy hours, and ping-pong tables for breaks between meetings are being changed with personal and expert development opportunities. The previous advantages are harder to offer in the remote environment, however employees likewise want to take control of and purchase their development and advancement.

Employers who provide strong individual and expert advancement opportunities and resources not only supply staff members with the development they’re yearning, they also enjoy a host of benefits, consisting of higher staff member engagement, a much easier time bring in leading skill, and less turnover and retention.

Consider this fact: 94% of workers said they would remain at a company longer if their employer purchased their careers. Development is an attractive advantage that isn’t going anywhere any time soon, particularly as companies work to curb increased turnover rates as part of The Fantastic Resignation.

8. Equality and inclusion in the work environment will need more than lip service

This has actually been a hot topic of conversation in the last few years, and it will continue to be a core focus area as we head into 2022

Business across the globe have begun acting to review and reinforce their equity, variety, and addition (DEI) strategies. Still, we envision we’ll see more action on these fronts in the coming year, especially when it pertains to filling positions to assist support these efforts.

In 2020, SHRM reported a 55% increase in DE&I-related job openings in reaction to across the country protests against racial oppression. Aside from treating people equally being the ethical thing to do, companies tend to see other benefits when they prioritize equality within their companies. Varied companies show society more properly, speak with a wider audience, and are more innovative, resulting in more success.

What can you expect to see? One research study revealed that 79% of organizations are devoting to DEI as a priority and are preparing to assign more budget and resources to make a more diverse company culture their truth. With this, we can anticipate DEI method development, more inclusive and equitable business policies and procedures, and the growth of DEI departments.

Moving full steam ahead into 2022

If there’s anything we have actually learned over the last number of years, it’s that the future is hugely unforeseeable and may not look the way we expect. However you don’t need to fear the unanticipated.

Keep these eight modern office trends for 2022 in mind, and you make certain to rise to the leading and succeed in whatever obstacle you satisfy at work– whether that’s tomorrow or the next year.