“Companies will need to not only forgive but actually celebrate well-intentioned errors,” Prabir Jha

A big change in 2022

In 2022, workplace culture will become a strategic issue. Hybrid working, multiple demographic slices, growing gig representation, changing business models and greater talent fluidity will all demand that organisations make their culture more open and yet more integrative. This seeming contradiction will force different firms to evolve and decide what works best for them. The commonplace effort to replicate a certain cultural pattern is the biggest risk to enterprise success.

Coaching or mentoring to become compassionate leaders

Without doubt, yes!! The biggest impairment or enabler of future success will be leadership mindset. Too often it is predicated on past models, not on emerging risks and opportunities. Leaders are lonely but not always willing to be vulnerable. From my recent advisory work, I have observed that many corporations acknowledge this and are seeking coaching support for these leaders. They want them to move from the classical directive to a more appreciative inquiry-based leadership.

This is almost counter-intuitive for many who have themselves grown in typically hierarchical cultures, irrespective of the PR camouflage. Working with seasoned coaches will indeed help them, or at least those who choose to become more relevant and impactful in the coming years.

“Biggest impairment of future success will be leadership mindset”

More considerate towards failures in 2022

This is a hope I constantly write and talk about! However, I find these are more lip service statements in most companies. This must change. The reason companies are not responding to situations as fast is because most levels prefer to play safe. By the time the bureaucratic approvals come, the opportunity is lost. However, the best innovative and most entrepreneurial companies will need to not only forgive, but actually celebrate well-intentioned errors. It will build a sense of ownership and promote agility.

AI to change and impact HR post digital transformation

This is a big subject, the jargon not withstanding. As more data gets tracked and mined, there will be huge possibilities to explore many processes that are more AI-centred. It will build for speed, transparency and accountability. The information democracy that AI can enable will disturb the perceived importance of ‘information is power’. Therefore, I see huge possibilities but am a little sceptical about the pace of deployment.

Learning be driven by social, technology or content

All three! What people will ‘want’ to learn may not always be in sync with what they ‘need’ to learn! But both content delivery and assimilation will be nuanced to the learning in question. Learning preferences are and will continue to be varied. Companies that will allow more flexibility to various learning styles will be most effective.