If 2020 was the year the floodgates opened, unleashing a new virtual workplace that upended the old ways of working, 2021 was when everyone in HR learned to swim, or otherwise be consumed by the turbulent waters. The profession continues to grapple with daunting questions posed by the pandemic and the nation’s ongoing socio-political upheaval, as the paradigm shift of 2020 introduced new workplace norms that bled into the past 365 days and continues to present new challenges.
One thing seems certain: Work is not going back to the way it was before the pandemic. In order to understand where we’re going, it’s worth reflecting on what’s happened in the last year.