Welcome to our Talent Trends report January 2022.
Rarely have consecutive years started with such different mindsets. 2021 may have begun with uncertainty, but it ended up being an extremely positive year for our industry and for the Investigo Group – in fact, our best ever year.
As we begin 2022, the market has returned with a vengeance and the demand from our clients has dramatically increased. If our focus a year ago was on how we could continue to adapt and embed the lessons of the pandemic, our thoughts now turn to growth and to how else we can support our clients to give them the best chance of success.
In fact, it’s been such a positive year that career transience has become increasingly common. We’re already in the midst of the Great Resignation, with the UK experiencing the highest quit rate since the financial crisis. For organisations across the market, this presents both challenges – not least in standing out to potential new talent and keeping the talent they already have – but opportunities.
After virtually two full years of widespread remote working, we’re more often than not remembering to unmute ourselves before speaking on those Microsoft Teams calls. But being more accustomed to a new mode of communication doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re connecting. After all, we each have different preferred methods and frequencies of communicating and it’s important that business leaders get to know their people’s preferences on an individual basis, enriching their working relationships with a touch of old school connection.
Never is it more important to connect with your people than in your approach to DEI. In an area that changes all the time – this time last year many of us would have referred to it as D&I – you must never stop talking and never stop learning. Increasing their diversity will continue to be at the forefront of organisations’ thinking, but this must not be at the expense of inclusion. You can have the most diverse, representative workforce in the world, but if your people don’t all have the opportunity and the support to participate and achieve, then you’re wasting your time. Before you can understand what kind of policies you need to have in place, you first need to understand yourself. Last year, we conducted a “who we are” survey of our staff to better understand our people and their needs. The results of this survey will help to form the basis of our approach to DEI in the future, both internally and externally.
Environmental, social and governance issues (ESG) have never been more prominent in corporate thinking, but too many companies are still struggling to raise these issues with the board in any meaningful way. By reframing ESG in a way that emphasises its importance to your everyday business operations, you can bring about the required focus, funding or policy change. Once again, connection is key. This is something we all need to do together, both within our business – sustainability specialists working with finance, marketing, senior leadership and any other interested parties – and at an organisational level. The time of siloed thinking is over.
Our Talent Trends report features expert insights and practical tips on each of these key trends – career transience, the changing focus of communication, DEI and ESG – and a lot more besides, including market updates on each of our specialisms. Many thanks to everyone who offered their insight and expertise.
We hope that you’ll find this report useful and if you’d like to discuss any of the insights raised, or to talk to one of our experts in more detail about how these trends will affect the talent in your business, please contact us.
