Thoughts and comments on business trends for 2021
By: Ninna Mônego
Tags: Dibs, Human Resources, Kpis, Social Impact, Business

Thoughts and comments on business trends for 2021

I came by a study that is very well curated in many ways, hence I could not highlight one single line. Reading all of it is mandatory for leaders — and HR professionals, or really anyone who is aiming to improve while living in this crazy uncertain times.

“Traditional talent management models were not designed to keep pace with high levels of instability.”

From experience I can say talent acquisition requires some goal-oriented people to do it well enough. And now it seems obvious that flexibility and short-term goals are part of the skillset more than ever.

“Agility must become a core business competency.”

Yes, yes, yes!

“Transparency is paramount.”

The world needs more people making great social global impact to overcome crisis like these. Therefore, the workforce that is lucky enough to be searching and choosing jobs right now is asking more than ever questions like “How do your company includes and promotes minorities and what is the ROI related to it?”. So… how would you answer it?

“There will be more remote workers and more part-time remote workers when we return to normal. We need more advanced analytics, pushed down to line managers, to manage those types of workers effectively.”

Please check on Officeless. They are doing an outstanding work mobilizing people and companies to think and do remote work efficiently.

“Careers and career progression will also be different for people who stay remote. The organization risks creating a two-tiered career structure that has different rewards and career progress for folks who are in the office and those that are remote (i.e. out of sight and out of mind). Thus, HR should use people analytics to figure out how these two career paths are different, and add that to the design of the employee experience. (…) There is extensive research that demonstrates a direct correlation between employee experience and financial results.”

Employee Experience (EE) is key especially in these strange times. Which is your mindset and how do you act upon remote work: remote first or remote friendly? Again, Officeless girls and guys are experts on the matter and can advise on how exactly each mindset impacts on engagement and so much more.

“Inclusion is also an important area of focus: common definitions of this focus on feelings of inclusion. Indeed, opening up listening channels and engaging in two-way dialogue with employees is key. However, a broader definition of workplace inclusion also focuses on the ability of individuals to participate where key decisions are being made and the opportunity to make an impact and add value within the organization — no matter your background or identity.”

I strongly recommend this article about DIBS. And the LinkedIn course by Pat Wadors.

“While a shift to home offices could mean more employees in low cost locations, it could also create more job opportunities for key people who work remotely. Organizations will be moving into recovery facing different supply-and-demand dynamics for talent.”

From the employees point of view, isn’t it amazing to be able to make money by being active online AND choosing where to live (in some companies you can also choose your working hours)? On the other hand, from the employer’s point of view, broadening your recruiting capabilities — since you’re not limited to a certain city or state, and knowing skilled professionals are anywhere — means you can attract anyone, anywhere.

“The events of 2020 have left many employees with the desire to do more, not just for their personal growth, but for the greater good. To realign organizational priorities on a structural level, leaders should engage in a full assessment of where they are headed from a purpose perspective. Serving multiple stakeholders (customers, employees, shareholders, and the environment) requires monitoring different types of business outcomes and managing multiple tradeoffs. This will require a new set of metrics to define business success, along with more sophisticated analytics to manage the complexity of people decisions.”

As a recruiter, I have been thinking a lot about what and how control KPIs — some of them does not seem to make sense anymore. As an employee, what calls my attention are bio-social impact and community engagement. In a nutshell: why and how we are doing what we are doing. And then, of course, how we are measuring that.

Overall, I hope 2021 allows us to learn and do better. May it let us make the world a better place by, as people and as businesses, make a good impact.

Last but not least, let us choose and nurture the relationships and the KPIs that really matter.