- Dec 16, 2021

# 4 Memorable Workplace Lessons Learned from 2021

As we reflect on 2021, it really was a whole lot better for many people, and certainly a step up from the terribly chaotic pandemic year of 2020.

Anne Fulton, Founder & CEO of Fuel50, predicted this when she wrote, “2020 has been the toughest this century for us all. Let’s focus forward on a vision of a better 2021, for everyone.”

Yes, 2021 WAS better for most of us, and this comment from James Freeze, Chief Marketing Officer at Interactions, spoke to some of the big lessons we learned from 2021:

_“If I’ve learned anything this year, it’s that there is no ‘normal” … we ditched all work norms as we relocated, shifted our hours and found new ways to communicate and collaborate; and it worked. Moving forward, I’m taking the lesson that … every company and individual has to find what works for them.”_

Here are four key workplace lessons learned from 2021:

## **1. No matter what you call it — remote, hybrid, or flexible work — it’s not going away anytime soon.**

Although the pandemic and lockdown scrambled businesses and workplaces everywhere, office workers had another option — remote work. It wasn’t the solution for everyone, of course, but for many people, it allowed them a way to keep working and remain safe from COVID, too.

It also seems that the remote work experience is going to continue, even if it becomes more of a “hybrid” model (a mixture of days worked both in the office and from a remote location), or “flexible,” where schedules vary but contain a mixture of time spent working both remotely as well as the office depending on both the jobs assignment AND the personal needs of the employee.

Why is remote work, in some form, going to continue? It’s simple: as we learned in 2021, too many people like the flexibility (and safety) that remote or hybrid work offers.

## **2. Organizations are serious about Upskilling, Reskilling, and all manner of Learning & Development**

This past year, things like learning, upskilling, and reskilling have become a top priority for organizations across the globe. As Fuel50’s [_Global Talent Mobility Best Practice Research_](/content/resources/research-reports/global-talent-mobility-research-part-1-impact-covid-organizations-people/index.html) found,

_“Internal recruitment, career development and upskilling are all absolutely in demand right now. People are willing to learn more within their current organization and even in their current role. People are actively looking to grow and develop and are seeking opportunities to move forward in their careers.”_

So, what have we learned about reskilling, upskilling, and Learning & Development in 2021?

1. **A whopping 80% of HR leaders said that employee reskilling was their top strategic organizational priority** for the next two years.
2. **Best-in-class organizations place strategic importance on career development.** They invest in employee development and provide development opportunities to ALL their employees.
3. **In top-performing organizations, leaders take an active role in developing others,** and they are given the tools and resources to support employee development.
4. **The highest performing organizations are prioritizing leadership development.** They said their leaders are upskilled and act as role models by developing themselves.

## **3. The focus on employee wellbeing is growing**

Employee wellbeing has been critically important long before COVID kicked in. But now, wellbeing has taken on even greater importance in every organization’s workplace plans. Research shows that this has a positive impact on retention, absenteeism levels, productivity, and overall satisfaction.

## **4. The Great Resignation may really be about employee burnout**

There are many theories about "The Great Resignation" which are thought to be primarily about employees who decide to quit when they are asked to give up remote work and return to the office. However, a growing number of business leaders and analysts believe that “The Great Resignation” is really about employee burnout.

## **Final thoughts on Lessons Learned from 2021**

The lessons learned from 2021 will stay around for a while. They will serve as a solid foundation to help us cope with the continuing challenges and uncertainties that lie ahead.