“Output of employees to take precedence over their physical presence in office,” Atul Mathur

A big change in 2022

The big change that we have already started witnessing is the prevalence of hybrid workforce. We’ll see a mixture of some roles that will be identified by companies to permanently operate from a remote location while some will be required to work from office and some will operate in a combination of both. The move to hybrid will require a lot of preparedness to make it sustainable. Most importantly, apt technology needs to be in place to ensure a smooth transition and thus, operation.

The role of leaders has also become very crucial when it comes to employee engagement in a hybrid setting. In a hybrid culture, there has also been a shift for employees. Now, the output of an employee takes precedence over their physical presence. A lot of organisations are focusing on the deliverables. Managers at junior levels have to make additional efforts to clear out the KRAs and check for the motivation levels of their teams.

HR to look beyond models and best practices; be more innovative and hands on

HR has always been hands on. Most progressive organisations have a strong HR function. However, there are a lot of things that may be needed for HR to continue to think on its feet. This is a phase of continuous experimentation for HR and business teams across sectors. One can’t predict the future but what one should have is a point of view on the future.

“Managers at junior levels have to make additional efforts to clear out the KRAs and check for the motivation levels of their teams”

Companies are currently utilising hit and trial methods to check whether certain HR transformations may work or not. Continuous experimentation has allowed companies to pick up observations and amend policies accordingly.

Working for money to working for a purpose

I have observed in the last two-three years that people have lost a lot, whether it be family or friends. As a result, people’s urge to reach out and help those in need has increased significantly. They are becoming more conscious of the fact that they’re not only working for themselves or their families but for the good of the society as well. This has significantly changed their purpose of work.