It seems that planning for the future has gained an entirely new dimension for businesses that survived or started their journey during the pandemic. Leaders are no longer driven by numbers alone, although forecasting does require understanding the most relevant driving forces behind any statistics. In fact, flexibility is the business mode of the era, now that agility and fast adaptation can determine the fate of a company. Some planning, however, is vital to reach a fruitful 2022 and make the most of the time we have left in 2021.

Yes, the pandemic has instigated many of the trends discussed here, but keep in mind that innovative solutions and changes in customer behavior have played a part in that process, too. Taking all those factors into account will help you recognize the right growth opportunities for your business in the following year. Let’s cover the most vital trends and business opportunities that will affect your strategy for 2022 and enable you to thrive.

Remote collaboration in the new normal

Even though we are hoping to see the end of all restrictions by the time we reach 2022, the pandemic will still have a major impact on the following year in terms of how companies will hire and collaborate. Most will keep working remotely, but they’ll also focus on finding tech solutions that enable better efficiency for employees. 

• Project management tools will become the main collaboration sphere for most companies of all sizes.
• The vast majority of businesses will turn to some form of cloud collaboration.
• The need for remote hiring strategies and external HR experts to simplify the process will also be on the rise. 

 

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Localized SEO for smarter positioning

Digital marketing with the rising overall digitalization will become the primary method for brands to earn their customers’ attention and boost visibility. Doing so in highly competitive areas such as Australia will be a much more challenging endeavor often requiring external assistance. Many local companies will partner with a reputable digital marketing agency in Australia, to build a strategy that will help boost the brand’s ranking and inspire customer engagement.

Working with external partners will be a life-saving method for small, local companies, since they often lack the in-house expertise or resources to grow their digital presence and compete online with their much more prominent peers. 

Sustainability in the spotlight

The climate crisis has gained plenty of media coverage in 2021, at least as much as the pandemic. It has also become one of the main trends for companies that have resisted shifting to more sustainable modes of waste management and energy use, to help them move toward a cleaner, safer, and greener business model. The trend represents an opportunity, one that will lead to cutting costs for various operational processes, but also one that will help improve the company’s reputation.

• Brands will look for more ways to leverage renewable energy resources like solar power, which will help them cut their dependence on existing energy grids, reduce utility expenses, and not to mention change how the customers perceive them.
• Green waste management practices such as recycling, repurposing, and reusing will be some of the most beneficial trends that will slowly change the business landscape to be one where green practices dominate, and conventional businesses are the ones that need to adapt.
• In well-developed and rapidly growing markets like Australia and the US, the bar is going to be much higher for newcomers wanting to run a competitive business – going green no longer grants them an advantage, but sets the bare minimum the public expects a business to achieve.

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Online retail and m-commerce to dominate

Companies that have already had a decent online presence might not have experienced such a major change during the pandemic. However, now that more businesses, especially the small and local ones are turning to online selling, every company will need to step up their game in terms of their digital presence, and online sales in particular.

For starters, brands will need to ensure a consistent presence across all customer touchpoints in order to boost trust – which they now cannot afford to lose with the competition increasing so rapidly. Add to that, m-commerce is expected to reach $3.56 trillion by the end of the year, which means that not leveraging this sales outlet will cost your business more than enabling seamless mobile purchases. 

Automation speeding up

Introducing more digital tools in order to enable remote collaboration, better cybersecurity, and smarter employee management all means that companies will have a surplus of menial tasks every single day. Managing a slew of new software solutions combined with the people behind the business (and the customers, of course) is time-consuming as it is. In 2022, companies will need to automate more than ever in order to retain their productivity and maximize the usefulness of the new tools they embrace.

To improve efficiency and employee satisfaction as well, companies will need to utilize more automation opportunities. It allows you to reduce your employees’ menial workload to focus on meaningful work, but it also gives your business more time to attend to mission-critical tasks each day. Automating repetitive tasks should be one of your top priorities in 2022. 

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We still aren’t certain what the new normal will entail for companies or individuals. Some trends and opportunities arising from the changing business dynamics and customer needs are becoming more apparent every day, enabling companies to plan well in advance, with ample flexibility in mind. 

If you’re looking for ways to prepare your business for 2022 and leverage data to your advantage, consider optimizing your growth strategy with the listed trends in mind.