Work from home continues in 2022, but employers need to find new ways for attracting, motivating and retaining the key employees

The competition on the labor market remains intense at the end of 2021, in the context in which, after the 2 years of pandemic, most companies went through complex transformation processes and these together with the mental tension of the period brought increased pressure on the labor market, especially felt by employees in key roles, with high responsibilities.

In this context, the main challenge for companies in 2022 will be to find new ways to motivate, attract and retain the “good people” on the market, given that the salary package is no longer the main motivator and secondary needs such as the need for balance and emotional health, recreation and relaxation, have reached the top of the priorities, reveals a year-end analysis of the human resources solutions company K2S – Key 2 Success.

“This year, companies have started to put new benefits on the market, both for retaining the key employees and for attracting new, good people in the organizations. These include mental and physical relaxation programs that integrate neuroscience, nutrition and technologies such as VR (virtual reality) or artificial intelligence, the flexibility of purpose and work schedule by focusing on deadlines and results (instead of the classic 9.00-18.00 program), customization of the talent and succession management system, with a perspective beyond the hierarchical or functional promotion,” says Valentin Dima, Senior Consultant at K2S.

On the recruitment platform LinkedIn alone, almost 24,000 jobs were available in Bucharest in November 2021 and over 35% of them were promoted as roles in work from home system or in hybrid format (partly from home, partly from the office). Working remotely or in different hybrid formats will continue in 2022 and in this context, given the pressure associated with the pandemic period, the fluctuation trend and declining motivation of key employees will also continue.

Which are the solutions? 3 recommendations from K2S specialists to keep people in the company:

1. Implementation of People Analytics methods, which can help to better understand the labor market dynamics.

3. Creating an environment that encourages a state of physical and emotional balance – through technology solutions to reduce stress and anxiety or through programs such as workshops to prevent / manage stress and anxiety.
4. Increasing the degree of adaptation / acceptance of future work models resulting from business transformations and accommodating the new generations entering the labor market, through methods of mentoring, coaching or compassion.

Regarding those who will be looking for a job in a key position for 2022, the most sought after qualities by employers in the next period will be:

• Emotional intelligence, compassion and the team spirit, necessary to maintain motivation and efficiency in the online impersonal environment.
• Health and personal balance / anti-fragility for long-term adaptation to high volatility, economic and health.
• Agility, innovative thinking and digitalization, in the context in which the speed with which technology advances increases exponentially.