Konica Minolta: Three trends for 2022 that need your attention now
As we approach the Festive Season, many of us will be thinking further ahead towards what 2022 is likely to bring to our business and personal lives. Whilst 2021 has had its fair share of disruptions (certainly at the beginning of the year), it has at least given us a clearer indication of the longer-term changes we can expect.
Mystical crystal balls aside, it is always a challenge to guess the future, but here are my top three predictions for the legal industry workplace in 2022, and how best to meet the challenges whilst making the most of the benefits.
- The rise and rise of hybrid working
Hybrid working (the flexibility to work from the office, home, or any other suitable location) has moved from a lockdown survival necessity to the ongoing status quo for many legal sector firms. Having been a pipe dream before the pandemic for many legal professionals working at often conservative firms, many who have tasted its benefits and are reluctant to return to traditional office-only working.
As we look towards the further evolution of hybrid working in 2022, it is worth bearing in mind that whilst this approach can provide significant benefits for the business and its employees – in terms of money savings (office rental, commuting costs etc.) – it does require the right systems in place to do so safely and productively. Your business must have the right digital transformation (DX) strategy in place, effectively using technology such as fast but highly secure document automation, workflow management, mobile and cloud-based technologies, to ensure effective collaboration between your mobile workforce, clients, and judicial bodies.
To help businesses understand their own digital transformation journey, we recently launched our new DX360° Assessment, a free online tool that provides expert feedback on your current position and advice on the best routes to achieve digital transformation goals. This completely free, impartial, and no obligation tool examines the needs of all business teams (not just those working with technology) to help enhance the digital maturity of the organisation, uncovering important process enhancements and cost savings. Even if you think your business systems are ready for 2022, it is worth a check!
- The continuation of the ‘Great Resignation’ and mass job switching
There has been a lot of talk about the ‘Great Resignation’ in 2021. Since working remotely during the lockdowns or being on furlough, many professionals and talented staff have gained a better understanding of their worth to a business, along with a greater awareness of their own desire for a better work/life balance.
I discussed some of the ways to retain and attract staff in another recent LSN blog, but this looks to be an ongoing phenomenon into 2022. It is important to remember that your team are people and not just company assets, they need to be respected and their voices heard – otherwise they will follow the herd and look for an employer that meets their needs.
Contented employees are more likely to stay with the firm, to invest their time and energy into building and developing the business, and of course this enthusiasm will also be evident to your existing and potential clients.
- Embracing diversity to fill the skills gap
The flipside of professional talent moving around the industry is that you will need to recruit fresh blood. For many firms the start of 2022 will involve a recruitment drive for the best talent. For some of the older members of the team, this churn in the industry will mean they want to retire, so we are likely to see an influx of new and often younger professionals looking to join the legal sector.
It will be important to engage with the best talent in whatever form this may take. Embracing diversity is essential in finding the best talent, something which we have successfully achieved at Konica Minolta with great results! To do this you of course need to ensure your business is a welcoming, friendly, professional place for people of any ethnicity, orientation, or faith. It’s all too easy for a business to take on a specific and rigid culture, which may not be obvious to the current team, but will put off some prospective applicants.
The generational age of potential employees is another factor that needs to be considered. The upcoming Generation Z (those born after 1996) is getting a lot of attention in the press for the demands it puts on employers, particularly when it comes to inclusive policies and expectations (something which came to light in a recent BBC survey).
Sometimes these attitudes and expectations can contrast with the inherent attitudes of business leaders and some senior team members, but it is important that the organisation recognises this to attract young talent and to evolve with the expectations of a new generation of clients too.
Staying flexible for the future
Something which is certain for 2022 (as it is every other year), is that your business needs to stay flexible and prepared for whatever the market and wider world has in store.
It is very easy to rest on your laurels and to continue working in the same way as you always have, but as we approach the second anniversary of the first COVID lockdown, it is a good reminder that things can change very quickly and unexpectedly. Now is the perfect time to take stock of your provisions to cope and to see in 2022 knowing you are better prepared than ever.
For more information and advice on how to prepare your business for 2022 please contact Andrew Emery at Andy.Emery@Konicaminolta.co.uk
