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What will working life look like in 2021? – Five trends
/ Article
This year, the popularity of remote working will continue strong, while the safety and flexibility of office premises will also be highlighted. Well-being at work and the meaningfulness of work will also get more attention this year.
The past year left us with numerous lessons learnt that we can draw advantage from in the future, but also with plenty of uncertainty and a desire for a more meaningful working life. In what ways did the exceptional year shape working life? What will it look like this year? We identified five trends.
1. Remote work is here to stay
Already prior to this exceptional era, remote working had been increasing in popularity, but coronavirus made it, quickly and without warning, a part of the daily lives of almost everyone engaged in expert work. According to surveys, more than one million people in Finland transferred to remote work during the exceptional period and nearly one half of them would like to continue working remotely in the future.
Research indicates that remote work is useful in independent work tasks that require concentration. It also makes it easier to balance one’s work and personal life. On the other hand, remote work lacks the social dimension and may hamper the smooth progress of tasks requiring collaboration. For many workplaces, a combination of remote and on-site work would be an optimal model. A hybrid model benefits both employees and employers, and it will definitely increase in popularity during this year.
2. Safe and flexible work environments are valued
At the same time as the ways of working develop, the demands concerning business premises as well as the employees’ relation with their workplaces change. Along with the increase in terms of remote work, many companies are reconsidering the role of their premises. Is it necessary to have an office if the work is done remotely? Simultaneously, people have also begun to see the value of an office environment and related services, that there is a space for work that is separate from one’s home.
In the future, safe and flexible work environments will be increasingly valued. Office premises will be needed in the future as well, but open-plan offices will give way for multi-space offices. We will need different types of spaces for teamwork, increasing virtual meetings and teleconferences as well as for working in peace.
3. Prolonged unemployment is shaping the labour market
According to the labour market forecast, uncertainty caused by the coronavirus will continue in the economy and on the labour market in 2021. The unemployment rate in Finland is projected to increase to 8.2 per cent and the employment rate will not increase until 2022. The current year will mean job seeking and perhaps even a change of occupation for many. For some individuals, the crisis may offer an opportunity to reconsider their work career. Changing one’s occupation and seeking a new job is a big step, but it can be viewed as an opportunity to think about what truly interests and motivates you.
4. Well-being at work is highlighted
After the exceptional year, well-being at work is valued more than ever. Many individuals have been laid-off or lost their job, and the social isolation may be tiring. Moreover, changed working conditions and worrying about the state of the world may have caused stress.
According to the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (TTL), the experience of fair treatment, sense of communality and certainty about the future are extremely important aspects in terms of well-being at work. By influencing these factors, it is possible to promote well-being, regardless of whether work is carried out remotely or on-site. When work has entered our homes and become a more integral part of our lives in general, it is even more important to comprehensively support well-being at work. Well-being at work is increasingly associated with the functioning of life at home and daily routines.
5. A desire for increased meaningfulness of work
The exceptional year has incited many of us to reflect on the meaning of our work in a new way and, in terms of employer branding and recruiting, meaningfulness will be a major trend this year. Many of us are reflecting on what is important and motivating in work. Employees are increasingly interested in corporate social responsibility and the impact of their own work. Why are we doing this particular work?
Sources:
• https://www.ttl.fi/tutkimushanke/miten-suomi-voi/
• https://tyopaikat.oikotie.fi/tyonantajalle/artikkelit/tyonantajakuvan-rakentamisen-trendit-2021-keskiossa-ihminen
• https://valtioneuvosto.fi/-/1410877/tyomarkkinaennuste-tyottomyyden-pitkittyminen-muovaa-tyomarkkinoita-pandemian-jatkuessa
• https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11291865
1. Remote work is here to stay
Already prior to this exceptional era, remote working had been increasing in popularity, but coronavirus made it, quickly and without warning, a part of the daily lives of almost everyone engaged in expert work. According to surveys, more than one million people in Finland transferred to remote work during the exceptional period and nearly one half of them would like to continue working remotely in the future.
Research indicates that remote work is useful in independent work tasks that require concentration. It also makes it easier to balance one’s work and personal life. On the other hand, remote work lacks the social dimension and may hamper the smooth progress of tasks requiring collaboration. For many workplaces, a combination of remote and on-site work would be an optimal model. A hybrid model benefits both employees and employers, and it will definitely increase in popularity during this year.
2. Safe and flexible work environments are valued
At the same time as the ways of working develop, the demands concerning business premises as well as the employees’ relation with their workplaces change. Along with the increase in terms of remote work, many companies are reconsidering the role of their premises. Is it necessary to have an office if the work is done remotely? Simultaneously, people have also begun to see the value of an office environment and related services, that there is a space for work that is separate from one’s home.
In the future, safe and flexible work environments will be increasingly valued. Office premises will be needed in the future as well, but open-plan offices will give way for multi-space offices. We will need different types of spaces for teamwork, increasing virtual meetings and teleconferences as well as for working in peace.
3. Prolonged unemployment is shaping the labour market
According to the labour market forecast, uncertainty caused by the coronavirus will continue in the economy and on the labour market in 2021. The unemployment rate in Finland is projected to increase to 8.2 per cent and the employment rate will not increase until 2022. The current year will mean job seeking and perhaps even a change of occupation for many. For some individuals, the crisis may offer an opportunity to reconsider their work career. Changing one’s occupation and seeking a new job is a big step, but it can be viewed as an opportunity to think about what truly interests and motivates you.
4. Well-being at work is highlighted
After the exceptional year, well-being at work is valued more than ever. Many individuals have been laid-off or lost their job, and the social isolation may be tiring. Moreover, changed working conditions and worrying about the state of the world may have caused stress.
According to the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (TTL), the experience of fair treatment, sense of communality and certainty about the future are extremely important aspects in terms of well-being at work. By influencing these factors, it is possible to promote well-being, regardless of whether work is carried out remotely or on-site. When work has entered our homes and become a more integral part of our lives in general, it is even more important to comprehensively support well-being at work. Well-being at work is increasingly associated with the functioning of life at home and daily routines.
5. A desire for increased meaningfulness of work
The exceptional year has incited many of us to reflect on the meaning of our work in a new way and, in terms of employer branding and recruiting, meaningfulness will be a major trend this year. Many of us are reflecting on what is important and motivating in work. Employees are increasingly interested in corporate social responsibility and the impact of their own work. Why are we doing this particular work?
Sources:
• https://www.ttl.fi/tutkimushanke/miten-suomi-voi/
• https://tyopaikat.oikotie.fi/tyonantajalle/artikkelit/tyonantajakuvan-rakentamisen-trendit-2021-keskiossa-ihminen
• https://valtioneuvosto.fi/-/1410877/tyomarkkinaennuste-tyottomyyden-pitkittyminen-muovaa-tyomarkkinoita-pandemian-jatkuessa
• https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11291865
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