Let’s just admit this at the get-go: Life is full of endless twists and turns and forks in the road, and all of them bring about changes. Some of these changes may have been ones you were prepared for because you predicted the eventuality; others, you had no idea about, and tested your adaptability and smarts as much as your determination and willpower to surmount obstacles.
In 2020, we found a new way to define the often-used phrase “change is inevitable”. The COVID-19 pandemic hit us all hard and taught us many lessons. In 2021, COVID-19 proved to be the unwanted gift that went on giving, as the changes seemed unending throughout the second wave. By the end of 2021, the Omicron variant arrived in India, ensuring once again that the impact of COVID-19 will continue in 2022. Given this, and everything else that is happening in the world, here are a few changes you must prepare for in 2022.
Omicron Will Affect Your Early 2022 Plans
With COVID-19 cases rising all over the country, and with state governments taking action by placing more restrictions, expect your plans for at least the beginning of 2022 to be affected. Given what we have seen in 2020 and 2021, it’s best to take precautions and follow all the norms that can keep the virus at bay: maintain social distancing, mask up, and sanitise properly. Fully vaccinated or not (get vaccinated if you aren’t already), you must be prepared in case you or any loved ones do get infected. If you can provide help or support to those who are getting affected, do so, because it’s only by working together that we can prevent a full-fledged third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
An End To Work From Home?
We have all been expecting this—and some of us may even be hoping for it to happen soon. An end to work from home, especially after almost two years of it, is quite likely on the cards for most people, with workplaces looking to open up in 2022. Schools, colleges and educational institutions may also aim for the same. This, no matter how much of a pro you are, is going to be a huge change whenever it happens, so be mentally prepared. It’s also important to remember that workplaces and work cultures have changed a lot over the last two years, so be ready to embrace changes, especially those that might require you to be more tech and digitally forward.
Reviving The Labour Market
The last two years have seen increased rates of unemployment the world over. In India, the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) recorded a doubled unemployment rate in 2020 compared to previous years, and another 10 million jobs were lost during the second wave in 2021. Labour market predictions by FICCI-NASSCOM reports, however, suggest that there is likely to be a highly driven revival in 2022. This report suggests that there might be a 37 per cent rise in employment rates in 2022, especially in new, advanced and unconventional job roles in the manufacturing and service sectors. The new India Skills Report also suggests that 51 per cent of women will be highly employable in 2022, compared to 46 per cent of men. Other data also suggest that the organised sector will continue to grow, with more advanced opportunities for e-commerce, freelance gigs, service and tech-based entrepreneurship, etc.
Labour Code Changes 2022-23
While we’re looking at a revival of the labour market in 2022, the anticipated labour code changes in India—which will likely take effect in the fiscal year of 2022-23—will also affect your approach to the labour market. The four new labour code changes that have been proposed are related to wages, social security, industrial relations and occupational safety. A senior government official was reported by the news agency, PTI, to reveal that there’s a high chance that these changes will open up the prospect of a four-day workweek for employees in India. However, the source said, employees, will have to work for 12 hours a day for those four days since the labour ministry has made it clear that even if the code is implemented, the 48-hour weekly work requirements will have to be met. Other changes that may also come along are the reduction of take-home salaries of employees and companies having to bear a higher provident fund liability.
Tech For Cybersecurity, 5G And Privacy
A recent study by Palo Alto Network suggests that with an increased usage of smart devices and the possible introduction of 5G in 2022, tonnes of digital data will be created and the trend might even double up the numbers. This development, the report suggests, is also likely to increase scams related to cryptocurrency, data breaches, and frequent identity thefts and frauds. Clearly, cybersecurity has to be a key tech goal for Indian in 2022, and companies are already preparing for it. According to the PwC’s 2022 Digital Trust Insights Survey, around 80 per cent of Indian organisations are already gearing up to increase their cybersecurity budgets to meet this evolving landscape of threats. Users can expect to see some revolutionary changes in the way App lockers, security extensions, file sharing and end-to-end encrypted data transfers occur.