A big change in 2022
As more companies start getting back to office with hybrid models in place, both employers and employees may find it challenging to adapt to the new reality. Once the pandemic recedes, we’ll have to ponder over how much physical presence is necessary at the workplace. After all, people were delivering great results even remotely. We will have to find out the potential long-term ramifications of ‘not enough social contact’. Will it have impact on our sense of belonging over time? Will it force us to reach our breaking point in terms of mental fatigue, will it be as effective for collaboration, or how will it work for people leaders vs individual contributors etc.
The other change that we are seeing is how ‘focus on inclusion and well-being’ is getting more attention as an essential leadership trait. I do hope it’s not a temporary fad, but that people see the value in it, and it stays important.
Organisational hierarchy threatened in a hybrid workplace
Hierarchy is a way of organising decision making and scope of work, so it may not have a direct correlation with hybrid models. It’s more a function of leadership style as one can easily see distinct subcultures under different leaders in the same company. But with the advent of more flexible models, persistent competition for talent, and employee loyalty going down with time, hierarchical management approach is softening in most companies.
“Focus on inclusion and well-being is becoming an essential leadership trait”
More considerate towards failures in 2022
I don’t think tolerance for failure is a year-specific trend. Obviously companies that thrive on innovation require higher tolerance and risk appetite. At the same time, with customers becoming more demanding and competition scaling up from all quarters, the perceived cost of failure may be too high and that may influence the responses from companies and leaders.
