20
Jan

Hot Leadership Trends For 2021 & Beyond

Where there is disruption, there is an opportunity. 2020 proved to be a challenging time, but we saw many leaders step up and lead their team forward. Based on our conversations with our customers and lubricant industry leaders, we share five hot leadership topics that we think are likely to shape the year ahead.

Positive company culture is critical today

A key lesson from 2020 is not everything businesses encounter is fully controllable or predictable. The need for a well-defined, inclusive, and positive organizational culture holds an organization and its people together. 

2020 also highlighted the importance of leaders empowering their teams to do their best work – individually and collectively. To do this, they must be flexible to their needs and strengths and actively manage a culture that supports adaptability and learning.

Employee well-being becomes top priority

The pandemic accelerated companies to embrace new well-being and safety practices. 

What has already been a rising trend will continue to be critical to business success in the coming year. As a leader, how can you play an important role in promoting employee well-being? More conversations, setting realistic expectations and improving work-life balance are good places to start.

Diversity & Inclusion reaches a new peak

Although it has always been a hot topic, the focus on diversity & inclusion as a critical workplace issue has been fueled even more by the events in places such as the United States last year. 

Promoting leadership diversity has already proven to be a significant business advantage. According to the Global Leadership Forecast, companies with above-average diversity in leadership positions are eight times more likely to be among the top 10% of companies with the best financial performance.

Better employee experience creates a meaningful impact

Employee experience is a topic that comes up frequently in conversations with our clients. It has become a critical part of employee retention strategies and improved business performance. Because of the changing world of work, the challenges of managing employees remotely are likely to stay. This trend will mean companies have to provide better virtual experiences and build in the flexibility that employees have come to expect.

Increased need for digital transformation

The urgency to reduce personal and manual processes has increased last year for all industries. Organizations now have an even greater need for leaders with a strong digital understanding. But they also need leaders who can make decisions about how best to use and implement new technologies in daily business activities. 

Fortunately, many leaders themselves recognize the need to learn and grow in this area. In our latest COVID-19 Report, executives emphasised digital knowledge on top of their agenda.

What’s next?

Heading into the new year, every company should prioritize cultivating a vibrant and strong internal culture to promote health, well-being, and productivity of your team. This investment will pay even greater dividends in 2021 and the years beyond.

What is on top of your leadership agenda for 2021?

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