Opinion: What’s next for the Future of Work in 2023

What’s next for the Future of Work in 2023

By Ariel Camus, Founder & CEO of Microverse

“Despite signs of post-pandemic recovery, the challenges brought by Covid-19 continued to affect how we work and learn. Last year we saw the end of a bull market, with startups getting less investment, a wave of layoffs and hiring freezes, and the emergence of trends like the “Great Resignation” and “Quiet Quitting,” showing a change in paradigm for how we work and what matters to us.

Uncertainty is likely to continue throughout 2023, but it’s likely we will see some exciting opportunities emerge in the workplace. This year, we can expect a rise in remote work, a more globally integrated workforce and human skills becoming increasingly fundamental to any individual — and business — that wants to thrive.

Remote work as the new normal

In 2023 we will see a larger divide between in-person and remote-first or fully-remote companies. While there will still be some companies attempting to go back to the office, I believe the majority of organisations will realise the great opportunity that remote work can bring to their businesses strategies. Talent is everything and remote work wins over talent in terms of talent pool size and retention. Companies will also see the long-term competitive advantage for those that can embrace remote work while also providing social connection, such as co-working spaces, local hubs, regular in-person retreats, etc.

Hiring globally will increase

With remote work on the rise, another thing we will see is the increase of global hiring. Services and products are going through a digital transformation, which means more and more people will be able to work in digital jobs that can be done from anywhere. When you hire internationally, you have access to a much larger talent pool, and with the possibility of hiring employees to work from anywhere in the world, companies will have a unique opportunity of filling their roles in a more diverse way to increase cross-cultural competency in remote teamwork.

Soft skills will be more important than ever

With companies relying more and more on remote work, a ‘multicultural cooperation’ is crucial. In order to achieve this, soft skills are key. Communication skills, especially knowing how to communicate remotely, are at the top of the list. It’s important that people master written communication, low-context communication, and asynchronous communication. We also need to start thinking about how we can use the tools at our disposal, like digital calendars and task management solutions, for example, as part of our communication strategies.”