As life starts to regain a sense of normalcy, new business trends are emerging, and understanding them can help small businesses find their footing again. We have identified five trends that will reshape the small business landscape in 2022.
Hybrid Workplace
Work and school were perhaps the most disrupted aspects of life during the pandemic. The pandemic has taught employees and employers about how remote work and mental health in the workplace are a must to consider.
Many employees have decided that they prefer the work/life balance of remote work and this has also led to a family-first movement. Small-business owners need to create a people-first workplace where employees can choose their optimal work schedule as well as whether to be remote or in-person with a healthy home and working environment. Employers will need to embrace the multi-generational employees who have a different value system and life-learned skill sets. Meanwhile, many employers have become infatuated with the productivity gains of remote work and the ability to scale down their commercial real estate holdings for significant cost savings.
The 2022 trend that every small-business owner should know about is that mental health in the workplace matters, no matter the size of its workforce.
Online Events
2020 changed our lives. The unusual online meetings stopped being unusual, becoming an everyday thing. In 2022 marketing will only continue to evolve to match the needs of restricted real-world business, and the opportunities of online business. But are online events for your small business? Getting into virtual events might help position you more as an essential and accessible business partner to your customers. Not to mention, hosting virtual events can help expand your reach and allow for more attendees.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence has advanced over the years. Today it’s considered a great opportunity for businesses, companies, industries, and even nations. Depending on the type of artificial intelligence, this technology can help you increase sales, get to know your customers better, and even prevent fraud.
But it’s important to keep the balance between human workers and intelligent robots. there’s no doubt that automation will affect every industry, so business leaders must prepare their people for the changing nature of work.
Personalization and Authenticity
Although artificial intelligence is a business trend going into 2022, the truth is that today’s consumers are seeking a more meaningful connection with brands. And this need for connection has given rise to authenticity and personalization as a business trend in its own right.
Customizing your content and offering a real experience will increase your sales. But it’s not only about business branding but also personal branding. Sometimes small- and medium-business owners hide behind the business brand and choose not to show who they are, but the most loyal customers you can get is through the emotional engagement that comes through your authenticity and showing the human side behind your business and showcasing you and your employees it the best way to get it.
Networking
Instead of growing alone, small-business owners can multiply their efforts exponentially by connecting with other business owners. Networking helps you gain business lead referrals, hear new market perspectives, learn from others’ experiences, and team up and form relationships that inspire and fuel each other’s growth.
Indeed, in the future, it will become increasingly difficult to succeed without really close partnerships with other organizations.
Because we understand that is not always easy to keep yourself updated while managing a business we are here to help you strategize, plan and execute. Take the plunge, contact us!
