Inspiring Business Success in 2023 and Beyond: 9 Business Trends You Need to Plan For

Change is a constant, but never before has it been so dramatic and unexpected as we’ve seen in recent years.?As you build your business success playbook this year, be sure to account for these nine emerging trends.?They are already upon us and will only intensify in the coming months.

1. Accelerated digital transformation. Digital transformation is the process by which companies embed technology across their business to drive fundamental change.?Currently, it is changing at the rate of 10% per year.?The true challenge of digital transformation is that it requires a significant shift away from traditional (siloed) thinking toward a more collaborative, experimental approach.

2. The rise of voice search. It is expected in 2023 that 75% of all voice searches will emerge in the top three positions for any given topic.?This means that your algorithms must evolve to accommodate this trend and your SEO strategy needs to be optimized for voice search – or you’ll be left behind by the competition!

3. Middle managers role evolution.?Middle managers can no longer work using a command-and-control style – but must become more human-centric.?This means also becoming more coach-like and asking, more than telling.?It means balancing task and relationship with equal importance and equal intentionality.?It means holding the people-performance equation with both parts being given the same value.?

4. Increased talent challenges.?There is currently a 10% shift in skills needed for business success today (up from 6%, just a few years ago).?Given the shortage of skilled workers, if you don’t upskill your workers, their skillset will increasingly fall behind.?In just a few short years, your people will become obsolete, and your business performance will bottom out.

5. Immersive customer experience. In a recent survey, 80% of customers agreed that the customer experience is as important as the business’ products or services.?Your customers’ experience determines how eager they are to buy, return to your site, or recommend you to friends.?You can’t neglect this important trend!

6. Inflation, recession, and supply chain security. These recurring issues are knocking at our door again, and so to future-proof your business, you must anticipate the risks associated with these issues and create a potential plan for responding to them.

7. Sustainability (reducing carbon footprint). ?It is no longer possible to ignore this growing trend, given that government regulations and public pressure are forcing sustainability to be pushed to the forefront.?Recent studies show that environmentally responsible brands outperform those who are not.?If you have not approached this topic in the past, it will be important to put it into your playbook for 2023.

8. Workplace accessibility. Hybrid workforces are the future of businesses.?In the last year, the number of hybrid workers went from 42% to 55%, even as COVID declined, and people returned to the office.?Hybrid work has gone from being a nice perk to now being an expectation by many employees, and businesses must overcome the challenges connected to it (disconnection, impaired collaboration, and disrupted work processes).

9. Employees want security and career growth. ?The Great Resignation is far from over as employees continue to leave in record numbers.?If you don’t want a revolving door at your business, you must pay attention to the fact that your employees want both job security as well as supported career growth.?When you get innovative about meeting those two needs, you will find that it will be much easier to retain and grow top talent.

This article has been written by DeAnna Murphy – the Chief Knowledge Officer for Thrivin and principal author of Shift Up! Strengths Strategies for Optimal Living and Choose to See You – in collaboration with Dr. Steve Jeffs (Chief Innovation Officer) and Bentley Wilson (CEO).?

Thrivin??is a career-pathing, workforce upskilling and talent-supply technology company, with clients in over 70 countries who have achieved measurable improvements through its cutting-edge approach and unique methodology. It is supported by the People Acuity “power skills” solutions and the insights of the company’s proprietary strengths assessment, the StrengthsMultiplier? tool. Thrivin helps organizations thrive in today’s complex, changing marketplace by getting proficient, power-skilled people in the right places, and resolving talent supply, leadership development, engaging culture, employee retention, team effectiveness, and change agility issues.