10 Workplace Changes Coming Your Way
An interesting report crossed my desk this week from Sodexo, listing the top 10 trends it predicts we’ll soon be seeing in the workplace.
Like a proud mother, I’m pleased to report that personal branding has made the list. (I already believe it’s increasing in importance for companies, but it’s nice to have someone else say it too.)
It appeared along with a few other trends you might find interesting, including a prediction that artificial intelligence will move further into the workplace, companies will take responsibility for employee wellness beyond the office, and organisations will rethink their employee learning as people continue to live and work longer. (The full report is here if you want to read further.)
Personal branding gets to work
On the personal brand front, here’s what the report said is starting to happen – which I’d agree with entirely from my first-hand experience:
1. Employees’ brands are company brands
As trust in traditional media is declining, companies are coming to view their employees’ social presence as a marketing channel for the company brand, tapping into the power of personal messaging. They’re focusing particularly on those who have built their brand as an influencer in their industry.
2. The CEO as a brand
Increasing numbers of CEOs are marketing themselves, not their companies. They’re wielding their personal brand to start conversations with the media and consumers alike, asserting their thought leadership and forming a more personal bond.
3. Spotting future talent
HR departments are monitoring personal brands as part of recruiting and vetting new talent, taking it further by using predictive analytics to identify people who have the skill sets and personal brands they’re looking for.
4. Quality is everything
As personal branding moves further into mainstream culture, we need to be not only searchable and ratable, but purposeful too. That means quality matters as much as quantity ie sharing good content, networking proactively and building both the breadth and quality of online connections.
5. Continuous job-seekers
A new type of job candidate is emerging – the continuous job-seeker. Different from the active and passive job-seekers we’re used to, they use their personal brand to be constantly on the radar, both looking for and attracting opportunities.
The question is: how many corporates are forward-thinking enough to tap into these trends now, instead of trying to catch up once they’re fully fledged?
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