It’s nearly the end of 2016, and the way businesses operate changed a lot in the last year. Many business trends have progressed throughout the year. Companies are making more of an effort than ever to take advantage of new technology. Social media and websites are essential. Businesses are catering more to the younger generation. Companies are becoming smarter.
But businesses are in a constant state of flux, and you can bet even more will change next year. Companies need to be looking ahead to the future at all times to stay ahead of competitors. It’s hard to predict precisely what will happen, but it’s safe to assume certain trends will grow next year. Here are some of the ways businesses are likely to change in 2017.
More Focus On Renewable Energy
Although fossil fuels are projected to last a good few more decades, people are wisening up. Naturally, it’s better to turn towards more efficient forms of energy before traditional forms run out. That’s why many businesses are already implementing renewable energy.
The public awareness on renewable energy is growing fast. Major corporations like General Motors, Facebook, and Microsoft have invested in green energy recently. There are also many high-profile events on the matter, such as Mexico’s Renewable Energy Conference.
Renewable energy will last longer, but it also works out cheaper than traditional forms. Expect many companies in 2017 to wisen up to the future and start taking an interest.
Social Media Usage Will Grow To More Platforms
It’s nigh-on impossible these days to find a business without a Facebook and Twitter page. LinkedIn is also highly popular for companies in the modern age. Social media has become an incredibly efficient tool for marketing and delivering business updates. Expect it to go even further next year.
Businesses are finding clever ways to make use of new social media platforms. For example, look at how innovative brands used Snapchat for marketing. Some companies in 2016 started to take deliveries and send out newsletters via WhatsApp.
Expect to see new platforms emerge in 2017, and businesses to find ways to market with them.
Smart Devices Will Be Commonplace
Ever since the rise of smartphones, more and more gadgets are starting to implement connectivity features. We’re in an age now where we can walk around with watches that connect to the internet.
The use of these gadgets is one of the fastest growing tech trends in business. Many companies use fitness bands which monitor the health of employees. Some even use smart devices to collect customer information and improve their services.
Expect these to become rampant in companies in 2017. Businesses will start to have smart screens in their conference rooms and smart watches on every employee’s wrist.
Remote Working Will Become More Popular
All kinds of studies and articles have talked up the benefits of remote working. It costs businesses less, it can improve productivity, and employees love it.
It’s becoming easier than ever. The growth of cloud collaboration platforms means people can complete work from anywhere. VoIP services also make it easy to host meetings with people from around the world.
Expect to see more of this in 2017. Flexibility and a greater work/life balance are popular demands for job seekers, so businesses are likely to adapt to this.
