The workplace is changing fast, and these six trends may affect the way you work in the coming year.
1. Tech. In a 2014 OfficeTeam survey, 48% of senior managers said new technology had the greatest impact on administrative professionals’ jobs in the past year, says the company’s executive director, Robert Hosking. “And as technology continues to evolve, administrative professionals are often at the front lines of implementing new hardware and software at work and teaching others how to use it.”
2. Training. Looking for some career development? 2016 might be the time to get it. Hosking says 38% of HR managers surveyed by OfficeTeam said training and developing employees is their greatest staffing concern. As more baby boomers retire, employers are looking for ways to fill their positions with people ready to take on new challenges.
3. Collaboration. With more companies recognizing the importance of collaboration, they’ll be looking for ways to foster it, says Rebecca Brooks, founder of Alter Agents market research. “The cubicle farms of the ’80s are slowly disappearing in favor of more collaborative workspaces and open plans,” Brooks says. With their cross-departmental communication skills, administrative professionals could play a significant role in efforts to boost collaboration.
4. Flexibility. More companies are recognizing the value of quality over quantity when it comes to employee schedules, Brooks says. “Telecommuting is no longer an isolated employee in a different state, but employees fluidly switching from in-office to out-of-office work styles.” Even admin positions can be remote, so if you’re looking for some flexibility, talk to your manager.
5. The cloud. A July 2015 survey by The Alternative Board found 33% of entrepreneurs plan on increasing their cloud spending and only 7% plan on decreasing it. “As a small business with a team that spends most of their time in the field, having our applications in the cloud gives us flexibility and protection,” says Blair Koch, CEO of The Alternative Board Denver West. “We can collaborate together, get documents wherever we are and we don’t have to deal with managing servers.”
6. BYOD. Policies that allow employees to bring their own computers, smartphones and other electronic devices to use at work will continue to rise, says Bill Peppler, managing partner of staffing firm Kavaliro. If your company is considering going BYOD, you may be tasked with developing policies for devices brought from home to use at work.
