Employment trends to watch in 2022

2022 has already begun, and we can see another year of developments and trends awaiting us in the changing sphere of work. Teleworking is one of the most substantial changes that came with the pandemic. Working from home is now considered standard practice and will likely be preserved beyond the pandemic.

One potential problem to arise is employees working longer hours. Whether it is to “prove” results or productivity to their bosses, the desire to achieve a promotion, or difficulty separating work life from personal life, it is very easy to let the hours go by and spend more time working at home than at the office.

Another problem that could arise is the invasion of employee privacy. Despite evidence that employees who work from home can be as or more productive than those who work in the office, many employers insist on monitoring the work being done. This translates to software that records, detects, or spies on the activities on the computer.

In more positive trends, the shift to remote work could also bring with it much more flexible work hours. Employees would have to complete 40 hours per week but could manage the times in the day they are dedicated to their tasks. For example, the office worker would work Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 5 pm. But a remote worker might work from 7 am to 3 pm on Monday, 12 pm to 8 pm on Tuesday, 7 am to 11 am and 2 pm to 6 pm on Wednesday, and so on.

Of course, whether or not these trends will apply to your workplace will depend on company management. Some companies will be more strict than others and have different types of leadership. Regardless of the management and schedules that your company implements, make sure that you work the hours according to your work agreement and maintain an excellent work-life balance.