Within the business world, it is crucial that entrepreneurs and their teams are informed about the latest trends in their industry. Not only are industry trends a constantly shifting force, but business trends as a whole need to be studied intently, as they have the tendency to permeate almost every industry. 2021 has, so far, seen its fair share of new trends that have affected many companies. Discover a few of these below.
- Emphasis on Sustainability
Sustainability has been a hot topic for the past few years, but it has certainly picked up speed throughout 2021. The issue with sustainability being a trend is that it implies that it will one day not be a trend. However, companies are seeing the importance of making this a long-lasting initiative of theirs. With seeing the toll that many businesses have had on the environment, companies have begun creating action plans that will help them become more sustainable, whether this means rethinking operations, creating more sustainable products, or even reducing the energy they use. Why has this become a popular topic in 2021 specifically? It is most likely due to the recent events that have taken place. Even though the pandemic isn’t necessarily an environmental issue, it did open many business leaders’ eyes to the even more damaging effects that climate change will have on the world and has challenged many to rethink the way they do business.
- Increase in Automation
If you’re unfamiliar with automation, it refers to the creation and application of technologies to produce and/or deliver goods without much human interference. Throughout 2021, this has become a trend in many workplaces, as business leaders have begun experimenting with these technologies to keep tasks running smoothly. This has especially been the case throughout the pandemic, which only fast-forwarded this initiative that was sure to gain in popularity within the next couple of years anyway. With many workers having to be remote, automation has existed as a way to keep production up even with fewer workers. Even though this was first introduced in factory settings and blue-collar jobs, it has also been becoming the case in select white-collar jobs, as computers and smart devices have been experimented with in these professional settings.
- Working From Home
This 2021 business trend is most likely not a surprise. Throughout the pandemic, many industries had to make a sudden shift to remote working, and though it took some adjustment at first, many businesses are now finding that they prefer this type of environment. Even with the lessening of Covid restrictions, the rollout of the vaccine and an increased feeling of safety, many workers are preferring to stay at home. Many companies have seen increased levels of productivity and lessened operational costs as a result of remote working. It depends on the business, but most have come to embrace remote working even while being told that they could return to in-person work.