3 Major Trends To Watch Out For In 2022

A new year is here and is time to reset and refire. You have a wealth of knowledge and experiences from 2021. Do not let that go to waste; rather use it to better your 2022. One of the insights you can use to strategically plan is trends. At any given point there are instructive trends to consider and plan around. Here I shall discuss 3 major trends to watch out for in 2022.

Sustainability

I touched a bit on the rising importance of sustainability globally in some of my articles in 2021. The effects of climate are now apparent for all to see. Just look at Zimbabwe as an example. In 2021 we experienced the most unusual temperatures ever. I recall growing up that temperature in the 30s would be typical in places like Kariba only. In 2021 it became the norm to experience such temperatures all over the country. Anyways, it is evident that climate change has to be addressed.

As such businesses and startups have been increasingly challenged to focus more on sustainability in their operations. Some of the areas of attention are Greenhouse Emissions, Pollution, Land and Water Intensity, and Deforestation, amongst others. As a business or startup, you must seriously work on how you can do your operations sustainably. Not only does this save, restore, and protect the environment but it also boosts your brand image. It can also significantly increase investor worthiness.

Workplace Dynamics

Ever since the pandemic came there have been rapid changes across the board. Remote working or teleworking is not going away anytime soon – it is here to stay. Closely tied to that is hybrid working as well – a cross of remote working and onsite working. Some enterprises have adapted and now have part of their staff working from home. Some have been largely averse to this new trend; after all, change can be a difficult thing for many. For others, the willingness is there but there could be limitations in terms of infrastructure.

Most Zimbabweans still think it is impractical to work from home. I work remotely and many people are always stunned when I tell them that. When I tell them they even remark, ‘so do you actually get paid?’ The thing is, in the minds of many Zimbabweans it still feels atypical for people to work remotely. However, enterprises stand to benefit a lot from embracing remote working and hybrid working. By the way, hybrid working means one gets to work both onsite and remotely. The shift towards a more digital workplace is here to stay so you might as well catch on. In 2022 start seriously looking into ways you can extract value from these emerging workplace dynamics.

AI-Driven Infrastructure

There is always been a debate on the implications of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Some believe that they are detrimental as they lead to unemployment. This is based on the argument that machines do things faster and better. There are even scenarios where a single machine can replace numerous human jobs. There are genuine concerns there that should be considered. Ironically though, the uptake of AI-driven tools, processes, and machines is proving to be inevitable.

Choosing to fall behind due to fears of killing human jobs can be costly. To stay competitive enterprises have to seriously consider the use of AI-driven infrastructure. This means businesses and startups must start looking into the dynamics. The truth is humans and AI can co-exist and work alongside. People do not necessarily have to lose jobs per se. They can be upskilled such that they adapt and adjust to AI-driven infrastructure. What is paramount is that enterprises must strategically plan on how they will roll this out.

So going into 2022 be wary of AI – it is needed more than ever before but be smart about it. Already if you look around you will see some rising trends within this domain. For instance, in 2021 I mentioned virtual assistance a lot – I even studied it and got certified. It is going to continue growing in popularity in 2022. Digital workplaces are also increasingly becoming a thing. I recently did an article on online collaborating apps or platforms. It is pertinent to know them because of the digital workplace trend. All in all, as a business or startup, stay current on the adoption of AI-driven infrastructure in 2022.

There you have it, 3 major trends to bear in mind in 2022. Focus more on sustainability as a brand, embrace remote working and hybrid working, and adopt AI-driven infrastructure. If you come up with your strategic plan for 2022 anchored on these trends you stand a good chance to stay current and relevant.