Senior leaders from LinkedIn’s Glint weigh in on 2021 predictions

2021 is a year we would all love to predict, but what could be ahead? We asked the team at people success tech leader Glint, part of LinkedIn as well as the team at LinkedIn Learning for their predictions.

• Now is the time to reimagine a new world of work, and make it a world that puts people at the centre. Business prosperity depends on human ingenuity, after all— which means we all have a mission and an opportunity to use our own ingenious thinking to reinvent the employee experience. (Justin Black, Head of People Science, Glint)

• Employee well-being will be a key priority. Why? Because the brands who do it right will unlock the best of human potential. Increasingly, organisations will normalise looking after well-being and mental health, knocking down stigma and embracing human imperfection with compassion. (Carolyn Kalafut, Consultant, People Science, Glint)

• Diversity, inclusion, and belonging is everyone’s job, but especially the CEO’s. Confining the job to a small D&I team is no longer sufficient, and those who fail to act will see their brands fall into the shadows. (Sonya Bedi, Senior Consultant, People Science, Glint)

• Old work paradigms will die; the workplace will be reimagined. Smart leaders will dismantle programmes and processes that don’t add value, and they’ll reimagine such sacred cows as the physical office, standard operating hours, how meetings happen and why, and the ways technology is used. (Christina Rasieleski, Senior Consultant, People Science, Glint)

• People will reimagine their careers, and indeed their and entire lives. Just as whole industries have pivoted, collapsed, or become something new, individuals are also now ready to reinvent themselves, their careers, and their lives. Organisations will need to capitalise on these revamped expectations to keep people energised and focused or risk losing them to new opportunities. (Shubhang Dave, Manager, People Science, Glint)

• The CHRO will define and lead the new world of work. Transformation will be the omnipresent opportunity, and they will be the pivotal force to ensure humanity, wellness, inclusion, upskilling, and mobility are embedded in every decision. (Nicola Josephs, Principal Consultant, People Science, Glint)

• Trust and empowerment will replace command and control. Organisations that meet crisis (or opportunity) by just fortifying their old command-and-control comfort zones will constrain their agility. Instead, more organisations will learn that trusted employees are productive employees. (Matt Roddan, Director, People Science, Glint)

• Increasingly, Learning will be part of everyone’sjob. People who have opportunities to learn and grow at work aren’t simply equipped with the right skills; they’re also armed with the right mindset to #alwaysbelearning. Organisations that invest in reskilling, upskilling, and internal mobility will reap the rewards of a competitive workforce. (Erica Lockheimer, V.P. of Engineering, LinkedIn Learning)

• Managers will get the spotlight they deserve! People are the competitive advantage in high-performance cultures, so as organisations pursue new ways to equip employees for growth and success, managers are essential to ensuring everyone on the team is empowered and engaged to do their best work. (Kate Feeney, Senior Consultant, People Science, Glint)

• Technology will help people be more human.Artificial Intelligence will not replace humanity’s emotional intelligence, but technology is poised to support the things that humans are best at — guiding us to the mindsets and habits that help us build connections, practice empathy, and be our best authentic selves at work. (Ed Hurst, Principal Consultant, People Science, Glint)

The team’s final prediction underscores all of the others:

• People-centric leadership will be an opportunity and an obligation. A world shaken by global challenges is a world with a wake-up call for people-centric leadership. Those with compassion and vision know that successful strategies start with human beings at the centre. (Chad L. Bennett, Senior Consultant, People Science, Glint)