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PA Enterprise
on small businesses - one key learning has been employees in the office, business owners don’t
the proof that many employees can work from need to pay for an office that holds capacity for
anywhere, any time. Even as vaccines become the whole team.
available, it’s unlikely we will go back to the office “Looking at the wider recruitment strategy for
full time. The demand for full-time office work businesses in 2021, by spring - when we will
simply isn’t there. Business leaders therefore need hopefully begin to see it pick up - there will be a
to ensure they are equipping their staff with the huge influx of job applications. As businesses will
skills to manage and operate in a hybrid team. start to open their recruiting doors again. While
The workforce structure itself is also changing, we have seen mass job losses, we will likely, and
and we’ll see this coming to fruition in 2021. hopefully, witness a mass hiring spree.
Many businesses don’t want to take the risk of A recent report has suggested that throughout
hiring full-time employees to meet spikes in COVID-19, firms have been spurred to look
work that may prove transient - so we believe the inwards for appropriate talent. And this will most
year ahead will bring with it a continued trend likely be the case for larger businesses throughout
towards agility. Bringing freelance specialists in 2021. They have the capability and funds to invest
to fully digitised workflows to help cope with this in wider learning and development programmes;
extra demand is something we’ve seen many building up their current employees’ skills, rather
businesses doing through 2020 - and expect the than them having to outsource for new talent.
trend to continue to grow through 2021.
However, SMEs that are suffering financially, may
More businesses will recognise the value of hiring have to adopt new recruitment strategies. Either
freelancers as a solution to filling in the skills gap paying less in the long-run by outsourcing talent
they may have in their immediate teams. Opting - which may take far more time and money than
to hire freelancers rather than full-time employees they ideally would like to spend. Or automating
will help small businesses be able to acquire an inefficient processes and utilising the skills they
agile, on-demand workforce which can help with currently have in their current workforce. Each
their wider business goals without affecting their business is different, and will need to do what is
cash flow.
right for them.
More support to help employees manage their “The success, or failure, of managing employee
wellbeing health and wellbeing will also be a massive trend
Dean Sadler, CEO and Founder at Tribepad, said: in 2021. 2020 has put a huge amount of pressure
on employees’ mental state, with the impact of
The one trend we cannot ignore is our new style COVID-19 putting a pause on many career goals. It
of working. Remote working is here to stay. For will be HR teams and line managers’ roles to help
many, it brings that work / life balance we have employees manage the implications the crisis
come to appreciate. However, whilst lockdown has had on their wellbeing. Especially those who
has taken away the commute, it has also taken were put on furlough, who haven’t been working
us away from basic human interactions. The for months on end. It has been an uncertain time
cornerstone of successful working relationships. for all, but there are plenty of ways businesses
Looking forward, we will try to get the best of can help employees maintain positive mental
both worlds. The option of working from home, health. Regular one-to-one catch ups, or mental
with the reassurance of having an assigned desk health first aiders and support groups, will go a
in the office. But times are tough, and money long way in supporting those in need during this
needs to be spent wisely, which is why we will challenging time.
see a rise in hub offices next year. With fewer fenews.co.uk
PA Enterprise is published by
26 December 2020/January 2021
