What do employees in Asia want in 2022? Here are five workplace culture trends and actionable insights for organisations to stay ahead of the curve.  

Culture Trend #1

Flexibility rules

Companies are offering more flexibility in the workplace, but flexibility applies to more than just where and when employees work. It means giving employees a voice in what type of work they do at home vs. in the office. Research from the O.C. Tanner Institute’s 2022 Global Culture Report found tasks that require focus or creative thinking are easier to do at home, while tasks requiring collaboration and connection are easier in the office. 

When employees have flexibility in how they work the likelihood of engagement increases 41% and the likelihood of retention increases 77%.

What organisations can do:

Give employees a say in where and when they work but set clear expectations of when and how they should be available. Provide guidelines on what work to do in the office vs. at home, and why. In the office, provide physical space and time to collaborate and socialise. Check-in often with remote employees and use appropriate HR tech, that is purposed for creating positive employee experiences at work, like Culture Cloud to help people stay connected. 

Have a solid career development strategy for remote and hybrid workers—ensure all employees can practice new skills, work on special projects, and see their progress. 

Culture Trend #2

Rebuilding connection

2022 brings a new opportunity for HR leaders: reconnecting their people. 

One in three employees feel disconnected from their leader and 45% of employees say the number of individuals they regularly interact with has decreased significantly over the past year. Yet when employees feel a strong connection to their team, leaders, and the organisation, they are 30x more likely to do great work, 3x more likely to stay with the organisation, and 96% less likely to burnout. HR leaders can rebuild culture by strengthening employee connection to purpose, accomplishment, and one another. 

What organisations can do:

Empower HR leaders to build workplace culture. Give them a seat at the table, let them make real changes in the organisation, and actively champion their culture-building activities.  Ensure HR initiatives are company initiatives, not just HR programs. Strategies like inclusion, wellbeing, recognition, and others that build connection should be part of your overall company strategy. 

Culture Trend #3 

Revisiting engagement

Measuring great work may be a better predictor of productivity and business results than solely measuring engagement. Engagement can be hard to pinpoint, but research shows employees who consistently do great work demonstrate five key behaviours:

There are also five employee personas in the workplace: 

Each persona demonstrates great work behaviours to varying degrees. For example, Achievers work hard but they may not push to make improvements. Yet if Achievers improve the mix in their work, there is a 133% increase in great work. If they deliver the difference, there is a 201% increase. Improve both, and the likelihood of great work soars 577%.

These insights make great work a more practical metric than engagement, as companies can tailor strategies to maximise employee performance.

What organisations can do:

Focus on the behaviours that actually lead to great work rather than just a single measure of engagement. Understand the employee personas and create tailored strategies for recognition, modern leadership, and inclusion to help each employee practice great work behaviours. Support with a culture that actively encourages great work with purpose, opportunity, success, appreciation, and wellbeing.

Culture Trend #4

More personalised recognition

Personalised employee experiences, like recognition, help every employee feel more connected and inspired to do great work. When recognition is a personalised experience there is a 19x higher probability of great work for Coasters, a 4.5x higher probability of great work for Taskers, and a 4X higher probability of great work for Socialisers.

Employees have different recognition needs. Public praise can have a negative effect on employees who are quieter (Taskers), but positively impacts employees who are high-energy (Socialisers). Achievers and Builders would like senior leaders as part of their recognition, while Coasters prefer one-on-one recognition.

What organisations can do:

Encourage leaders to get to know their people and what they want their work experiences to look like. Ask how employees want to be recognised, what types of awards are meaningful, and who they want to be involved in recognition moments. Provide flexible tools that offer a variety of ways to give recognition. Social tools, integrations, and custom awards can make recognition even more personal. Train employees and leaders on what elements to personalize and how to create customized, meaningful recognition experiences.

Culture Trend #5

Technology’s exploding role in building culture

As the workplace continues to be in flux, the role of technology in building culture and connection has become paramount.  

Is your workplace technology up to snuff? Consider these table-stakes when it comes to your culture-building tech:

• Fun and intuitive 
• Flexible and personalised
• Easy to use (with single sign on and mobile capabilities)
• Integrated with existing technology 
• Advanced reporting that can measure flight risk, great work, and culture
• Connects employees to the organisation, purpose, and one another

When technology is well-integrated into culture, the likelihood of being an eNPS promoter increases 4X, likelihood of attrition decreases 47%, and there is a 35% decrease in burnout.

What organisations can do:

Ensure your culture-building tech is accessible to employees in the office and remote, and that they are easy to use, integrated, and purposeful. Provide tools that connect employees to your purpose, their accomplishments, and one another. Solutions like Culture Cloud have multiple culture-building tools incorporated into one, so leaders and employees can feel connected as they appreciate great work and celebrate each other. 

For more actionable insights to inform your 2022 culture strategy, watch these on-demand webinars:

Measuring Success Is Not Measuring Engagement: A Case for Great Work

Recognition Builds Connection: A Causal Story 

Autonomy, Mastery and Connection: How Fulfilling Psychological Needs Creates Peak Experiences 

*Unless noted, all research is from the O.C. Tanner Institute’s 2022 Global Culture Report