2020 has been a year of challenges for employers across all sectors. Although the upheaval isn’t over yet, there is some light at the end of the COVID tunnel. For many businesses, although the pandemic has brought disruption to their services, it has also created opportunities for growth and change – especially when the economy begins to recover. Therefore, with this transition period now coming into effect, we here at 2i Recruit have put together a list of our four predictions for the future of work in 2021.
Health and wellbeing
Although many firms have always taken the health and wellbeing of employees seriously, this year the issue really shot to the top of the agenda. With some staff being put under incredible pressure to balance remote working, childcare and handling the impact of the pandemic with continuing to meet career goals, those businesses that thrived were often those that integrated employee health and wellbeing at the heart of their vision; making it as much of a priority as productivity. As a result, this is going to continue to be a big trend for the future of work. Managing the wellbeing implications of the pandemic will remain a key focus, whether that is the after-effects of the UK furlough scheme, redundancies, or the need for the business to evolve to a new norm.
A focus on upskilling and diversity
Businesses have been pushed into evolution this year and so have employees. Supporting upskilling that enables individuals and organisations to better cope with uncertainty is going to be a significant trend next year. Many organisations will be looking inward when it comes to catering to the needs of a changing business, identifying people who have the aptitude and enthusiasm to upskill and grow into new roles. This is where an experienced recruitment partner like 2i Recruit can come in to play, as our partnership with the live and interactive training service ‘TriDigital Learning’ can provide you and your business with the upskilling resources and workshops that you need to make the most of the next year. Contact our team of specialist consultants here at 2i Recruit to find out more.
Agility rules
Prior to 2020, flexible working was an option that not many businesses had fully explored, however, this past year we have really seen what can be achieved by a more flexible approach that integrates more remote options. Another key factor will be an increasing need for a healthy work-life balance that has stemmed from the pressure placed on mental health and wellbeing this year. A more agile approach can help a business to accommodate this and take advantage of the benefits offered by ongoing flexibility.
A focus on Temporary Workers
The pandemic has required businesses to think outside the box to cope with uncertainty, change, and spikes in demand. In addition to this, it also highlighted the role that temporary workers can play in supporting any organisation. Temporary workers allow workforces to adapt to immediate change and ensure that businesses can meet the needs of customers and clients in a more flexible way without any reduction in quality. As the focus on remote and digital working has expanded this past year, there is now an even broader pool of talent for businesses to choose from.
If you or your business are looking for advice on how to evolve your recruitment strategy to suit the demands of 2021, then please contact our team of specialist consultants here at 2i Recruit via email at info@2irecruit.co.uk or call on 01483 414 719.
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