Workplace Leadership has become a role for everybody, so the previously well-defined line between management and employees is moving towards a collaborative space for a shared work experience.
Employees who were once set in their ways and lined up for promotion in long-term service are at times no longer right for the job. On the other hand, entry-level employees with sharp vision and natural empathy are often out-streaking those with tenfold their experience.
Digitisation makes roles and succession plans more complicated in 2022, so promotions and people development are focusing on who can shape the face of change.
Current & Future Workplace Leadership Needs a Portfolio Approach to Thrive
Those looking for promotions into leadership roles are encompassing a desirable mix of soft skills, people skills, and the aptitude to excel.
Today’s managers instil a sense of purpose to drive innovation, inspire employee confidence, build sound Diversity, Equality and Inclusion policies, and promote higher engagement at all levels of the organisation.
Below are the top 5 trends HR managers are seeing in the current and future leadership bench.
1. Workplace Leadership is Focused on Building Critical Skills and Competencies
Work from home and hybrid work have caused a meaningful shift in the critical skills and capabilities employers are looking for in 2022. Leadership teams are investing heavily in training and development programmes, as well as specialised coaching.
Critical skills and capabilities have become more diverse, so employees are enjoying greater crossover into multiple roles. Skills around innovation and collaboration are taking centre stage for leaders.
2. The Leadership Bench is Becoming More Data-Driven, and Less Impulsive
Powerful data-driven statistics are redefining organisational strategies for staff retention and key business performance metrics. Data technology allows HR and management teams to understand how people perform and interact with the business, which guides change management.
Successful leaders must understand both product performance metrics and people data in equal measure.
3. Leaders at work are Influencing People with a Social Touch
The pandemic-related challenges faced by all businesses over the last few years placed managers in a precarious position. Oftentimes, leaders didn’t always have the answers, and managers needed support just as much as they were required to support their teams.
The ability to influence others by bringing them together has been the key to success for remote teams.
Great Leaders at work now look to their teams for input and are more likely to ask for advice. The result is boosting team confidence, which is leading to higher performance output with a greater sense of collaboration.
4. Managers Care About Their People
Workplace hierarchies do still exist, but they’re less structured than they used to be. People in leadership roles are no longer seen as ‘the people over there’ who ‘tell us what to do’ and ‘measure our performance on spreadsheets.’
Managers and entry-level employees are developing informal relationships. Both parties are becoming more helpful, and more empathetic about the other’s position.
The trend in workplace culture is moving towards diversity, equality, and inclusion, with the collective attitude that ‘we’re all in this together.’
5. Leaders Are Employee-Centric
Human-centric is the buzz word that’s here to stay. Talented employees are seeking greater input over their own work experience. Leaders are using a soft touch to attract and retain sought-after talent.
Flexibility is key to keeping people happy. Employees have learned to value and appreciate having the means to control their own days.
The future of workplace leadership is all about using mental wellness, creating individualised workflows, and relying on output-based metrics to create inspiring workplace experiences.
Workplace Leadership in 2022 is All About the People
As we move into a new era of flexible, employee-centric work, organisations are investing heavily in developing leaders who understand how to instil a sense of purpose in their staff. HR consultants are helping them do this by facilitating a new approach to how we think about people’s employment.
The current and future leadership bench is focused on improving change management, leading with empathy, fostering mutual learning through data, developing an inclusive culture, and creating worthwhile experiences for employees.
How does your leadership bench for 2022 stack up for the future?
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