Towards the end of 2021 I conducted a short survey of the Heads of Operations in my network to find out what their plans for 2022.
What will be your TOP 3 areas of focus in 2022?
- employee retention and satisfaction - 43%
- ways of working (e.g. collaboration, communication) - 43%
- introducing self-management practices - 29%
(multiple choice; % of how many respondents chose this answer in their top 3)
Follow up questions revealed that well defined job roles and building trust with employees so they feel more freedom to act independently will be crucial. It will allow employees take responsibility and pride in the outcome but also understand that there won't be negative consequences if a well-planned initiatives don't work out.
Depending on the industry, having single role responsibility might allow more focused and effective output to cope during busy periods. No matter the scenario, developing middle management to be good people managers is crucial.
In terms of challenges, funding was mentioned most often as there is increasing pressure on balancing the books due to economic uncertainty. Staff shortages and availability of talent is likely to impact most organisations especially the ones looking to expand into new markets or products.