By Kalpana Ravi
The hybrid model of working will allow us access to global talent which helps with more perspective and creativity: Indrajeet Mookherjee, Managing Partner, dentsuMB India.
Not so long ago, the one common subject that would get discussed over work gatherings or private parties or even when people would be heading out for dinner and drink dates used to be either football or politics. It is something else now. Now we are awaiting the next mutated Covid virus to hit us.And we talk very normally about it.
The last two years have been unprecedented across generations and has prepared us to be ready for the worst to hit us. Evidently, we have evolved – which has also affected our interpersonal relationships, workplace dynamics, how brands and businesses today will work, etc.
And while we all are trying to navigate through this ‘newness’ with challenges thrown our way almost every day, there are a few key things that a brand or a business must focus on or rather keep in mind during their business planning 2022
Rise of the Hybrid model of work:
We have tried and tested a formula that we never thought will be put to test. We have remotely connected as teams and as organisations. At some level, this new model has become a permanent way of looking at the future of work for many individuals. Therefore, most of the companies will opt for remote working as an offering. More so, the hybrid model of working will allow us access to global talent which helps with more perspective and creativity.
Environmental Consciousness:
Brands that are vocal about how they give back to society and are environmentally knowledgeable, are here to stay and win. With the kind of world, we witnessed in the last 2 years, the youth has evolved into getting more conscious about the change they can make towards continued sustainability. E.g. H&M’s pledge towards going sustainable and processing garments out of recycled products has already taken them beyond their peers in terms of brand love and affinity.
Rise of the AI and Tech:
On one hand, Elon Musk has warned us about it and on the other, Meta has paved the way for this already. AI will take over a lot of day-to-day tasks but finding the right balance between human intelligence and robots will be key. This will also shape human experience with brands – e.g., the rise of live commerce in the country, etc.
Human-Centric Approach:
As opposed to before, the last two years have shown us how human beings are the most important and irreplaceable assets in the organisation. It should be one of the most important agendas cracked by any business that involves a heightened focus on community building, the importance of mental health at the workplace, etc.
Flatter Organisations:
Agility is the key for 2022 and to be able to achieve the same, the need of the hour is to have a flatter organisation as opposed to a top-down pyramid model. A flatter organisation will simply ensure dynamism, immediate troubleshooting to solve problems and will respond faster to changing nature of work.
While it was important to talk about the aforementioned pointers, there are many more that businesses and brands will discover as and when we walk the path.
Needless to mention, everyone collectively hopes to not have surprise bouncers in the form of mutated Covid versions thrown our way for the next year at least!
