The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the workplace, causing a significant shift in power to the hands of employees, who are no longer shying away from speaking up about what they want.
As 2022 approaches, employees are not only looking for ways to combat stress and burnout, but they also want to advance their careers, says Sarah Sheehan, cofounder and president of coaching platform Bravely. Employers should keep this in mind as they seek to recruit, retain and build a successful and healthy workforce.
“The employee is in the driver's seat, and companies are going to have to flex into what the employee wants, versus what they want.” Sheehan says. “People are being really upfront about how their priorities have shifted, and they are no longer living to work, but working to live.”
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Sheehan shared several evolving workplace trends she anticipates for 2022, based on Bravely data and conversations with employers and employees.
How has the employer-employee dynamic shifted during COVID, and how will that impact the workplace in 2022?
This trauma that we’ve all experienced really had employees asking the questions: What do I really want to be spending my time doing every day? Does the company I work for reflect my personal values? That's showing up in the great resignation, that's showing up in the ways that all employees are evaluating companies for the resources that they offer and the culture that they claim to have. They're really diving into things like company diversity metrics and the kind of development opportunities being offered, and that's a real shift.
I've even experienced it personally in interviews that I've conducted for potential employees at Bravely. There have been times where the tone of the conversation has turned to the interviewee saying, Talk to me about why I should want to work at Bravely. People are being really upfront with me about how their priorities have shifted, and they are no longer living to work, but working to live.
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What are employees looking for most with this new outlook?
First and foremost is flexibility. They want to be able to design the work-life balance that they need in their lives. Second, employees are really looking for a mission driven company. They want to understand the values that the company and its leadership embodies. We talk a lot about the pandemic but we can't leave out the social injustice that we also experienced here in the United States. Those members of underrepresented groups are going to want an understanding of how the company goes beyond just attracting diverse talent. They want to know what you do when that diverse talent walks in the door to create a sense of belonging.
How can employers create an environment where employees feel their individual needs are being met?
Historically, companies have offered blanket resources that just covered the same ground and offered the same support or opportunities to employees. But you have to think about the individual’s circumstances. I am someone who has a more mature career and I am a mother, so I have a different set of needs than someone in their mid-20s who is just starting out, for example.
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In the past, so much of the investments and resources were going to emerging talent or manager-level employees, and we have to start rethinking that. We need to invest across the employee population and not just in these cohorts that historically we've seen investment in.
If employers don’t make these investments, how will employees hold them accountable?
The accountability is already happening with a loss of top talent. I know firsthand that so many people leaders are really struggling to figure out how to stop the bleed that’s happening. It’s forcing a long overdue look at the practices, offerings, benefits and cultures of our companies. There’s going to have to be a new standard.
Really leveling up in how we support our people is going to be a requirement. The employee is in the driver's seat, and companies are going to have to flex into what the employee wants, versus what they want. In terms of company values, it's not okay for companies to stand by and not make a statement and not put meaningful action behind their words. So that’s how employees are going to be taking them to task.
