Here are 3 of the top work trends right now, and our top 3 qualification recommendations for 2021 (all attainable through Recognition of Prior Learning).
If 2020 taught us anything, it was that radical, global change is possible. In a few short months the workforce was turned on its head. And we were all forced to change the way we worked and how we ran our businesses. Agility certainly came up trumps as the superpower of last year. So what will 2021 require of us?
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1. Dispersed and Decentralised Workforce
In 2020 many of us had to move from the office/workplace to working from home. For some this was an easy shift, for others it was a backwards summersault. But one way or another business after business wrapped their head around it, and what emerged was a ‘new normal’. Once Covid-19 induced lockdowns ended, a staggering proportion of businesses kept a hybrid remote work model.
Kate Lister, President of Global Workplace Analytics said, “Our best estimate is that 25-30% of the workforce will be working from home multiple days a week by the end of 2021.”
With such a changed business landscape we have found a marked increase in demand for project management qualifications. And it makes sense. With teams working from remote locations and a decentralisation of the reporting structure, project management skills have become essential.
BSB50820 Diploma of Project Management
At the Diploma level you are someone who is able to apply project management skills in a leadership capacity. You may have managed projects in a number of contexts and industries. You have experience at the management and leadership level, and are responsible for project objectives. You have well established project management knowledge and a range of specialist, managerial and technical skills. You use your skills to plan, implement and review your own work and that of a team.
Find out more, and if you are eligible for this qualification through recognition of prior learning.
2. Managing Remote Workforces & Balancing Mental Health
Hand in hand with trend #1 is the need to manage remote teams and mitigate mental health issues. According to Forbes, “More days are lost to absenteeism due to mental health than to other illness or injury.” And during the crazy year that was 2020, mental health issues rose faster than the Covid-19 virus.
The same article discusses the importance of leadership and management to foster team cohesion when people are not physically working in the same space, and also to ensure employees have access to mental health support and care when they need it.
BSB50420 Diploma of Leadership and Management
Operating at a Diploma level in leadership and management, you will be balancing two key areas: overseeing people and tracking the development of strategy at an operational level so that policies and procedures have your input and expertise. You possess judgement and initiative in organising, planning, monitoring and implementing your work and the work of others. Your communication skills support teams and individuals to achieve organisational objectives. You create solutions to problems, analyze data from complex sources and identify opportunities for improvements.
Find out more, and if you are eligible for this qualification through recognition of prior learning
3. Prioritising Safety, Security and Health
As we continue to live and do business in the middle of a global pandemic, we are all much more focused on safety, security and health. As such, successful workplaces are, “Putting the needs of their workers first and providing for a safe environment,” (HCA Mag). Employees not only expect businesses to keep facilities clean, but also to offer support as the health crisis extends into 2021.
Unsurprisingly, we have seen demand for Work, Health and Safety qualifications go up.
BSB51319 Diploma of Work Health and Safety
At the Diploma level of Work Health and Safety (WHS), you have the skills and knowledge to manage risks, legal responsibilities in a WHS context, and investigate and report on health and safety incidents. The Diploma level is also a proactive contributor to the workplace: not just responding to incidents, but educating and leading initiatives to improve health and safety measures in a workplace. There is a focus on your communication skills, analytical abilities to resolve WHS problems that may be complex and using your best judgement to make decisions.
Find out more, and if you are eligible for this qualification through recognition of prior learning
