How to be an Employer of Choice in 2022

The following is an excerpt from my FREE Workplace Intelligence Insider Newsletter. You can access the full article in the Newsletter Archives. And don't forget to subscribe so you receive the new edition every Monday morning. 

For this week’s Workplace Intelligence Newsletter, I interviewed Dr. Chris Mullen, Ph.D., SPHR, SHRM-SCP. A thought leader on performance, development, and talent strategies, Dr. Mullen is executive director of The Workforce Institute, a think tank with international board members from a variety of industries. In addition, he leads the HCM Strategic Advisory Group at UKG, leading global provider of HCM, payroll, HR service delivery, and workforce management solutions.

In our conversation, we spoke about several key trends reshaping the world of work in 2022, and how companies can adapt to these trends. Below is sneak peek – subscribe to my free Workplace Intelligence newsletter and you’ll immediately receive the full interview.

And be sure to join me and Dr. Mullen during our live audio event TODAY (Feb. 28) at 11am EST, where we’ll continue our discussion on 2022 workplace predictions.

What key components of the employee experience are workers looking for in 2022, and why is it important that companies adapt quickly to these evolving expectations?

For many companies, the landscape of the employer-employee dynamic has dramatically shifted. The power has swung to the employees, as we have clearly seen from the Great Resignation. Employee experience will play a major role in attracting and retaining talent, as more and more employees are looking for better salaries, benefits, and programs.

The question for companies becomes how to meet these demands. Of course, increased wages are important but so is giving employees autonomy in their work schedules and access to information through mobile technology. Employees also want flexibility and choice in where, when, with who, and how they work. And then there are benefits like competitive PTO plans and family-related leave and care benefits, which will be crucial to attract and engage office and frontline workers alike. 

As we move into 2022, business leaders need to take time to reflect on what has and hasn’t worked, respect people’s boundaries and balance of life and work, and reimagine a truly employee-centric future of work.

People have long preferred to work for employers whose mission and values align with their own beliefs, but their expectations around this are increasing. Can you tell us a bit more about this trend?

Employee expectations are certainly increasing in this area. We’ve seen a shift from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to now Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). We’ve also seen that Diversity has now expanded to include equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Employees want their employers to do more and be more in all of these areas. But while many employers made important commitments relating to diversity, equity, and social justice over the past two years, 2022 will bring revitalized employee expectations.  

In addition, employees do not want these goals to just be talk. Rather, they want public and measurable accountability from their company’s executives as they take action on some of today’s most meaningful and relevant issues.

Want to read the full article? You can access it in the Workplace Intelligence Insider Archives. To receive the new edition every Monday morning, subscribe for free.

And don’t forget to join me and Dr. Mullen for our live audio event TODAY (Feb. 28) at 11 am EST. We look forward to having you join us!