Project management has undergone some big changes in recent years and while some of those changes will remain, there are also other new trends on the rise. For project managers and PMO professionals, keeping up to date with trends is one of the critical ways you can stay ahead and reap the most benefits.
Here’s a quick list of the Top 8 Project Management Trends of 2022.
1. Remote and hybrid work is here to stay
A new Global Trends in Project Management report shows that 58% of project teams work remotely while a further 86% work from multiple locations. The continued popularity of remote and hybrid work is no surprise with surveys showings a significant increase in job satisfaction and productivity.
But hybrid configurations are not all rainbows and sunshine. Many employees have cited a lack of social interaction, lack of work-life separation as well as communication and collaboration barriers as critical challenges of remote work.
Hybrid work and teams are becoming the new norm and organisations need to reconfigure how they manage their teams to consider the new context and ensure they are working as effectively as possible.
2. Enhancing communication and collaboration is critical
Our communication and collaboration tools and software have come a long way and have experienced rapid innovation and growth in the recent pandemic context. While the recent years have been focused on adapting software and tools out of necessity, organisations can now focus on enhancing their communication tools and software to make the most out of the increasingly hybrid and agile environment.
Instead of haphazardly using different conferencing, project planning and productivity applications, organisations are turning to integrative and holistic project management software that can consolidate their communication and collaboration activities onto a single platform.
Whether you use off-the-shelf software like Asana or more bespoke solutions like pmo365, we are all still learning how to work smarter, better and smoother in our increasingly digital world. As remote and hybrid work becomes the new norm, continual enhancement in communication and collaboration will be a critical tool to success.
3. Increasing dependency on project management tools
With a greater need for collaboration and communication comes a greater dependency on the tools that enable them. However, reports show that many employees are experiencing what is called ‘app fatigue’ and are overwhelmed by the number of tools they use on a daily basis. The consolidation of these apps, often into a singular project management tool or software, has become highly valuable for organisations.
Effective project management tools are able to handle a wide range of activities from resource management to schedule management, portfolio management and much more. By consolidating all project-related activities onto a single platform, organisations are able to extract valuable data and gain new insights that can propel them in the near future.
As project management tools and software become an organisations single source of truth, the dependency upon them grows significantly. That is why it is important to make sure you choose the right project management tool for your organisation unique needs.
4. Cloud-based in the new standard
Hybrid is here to stay and how else can you lead a geographically dispersed team effectively without a cloud-based solution? Being able to access your data any time at any place is no longer simply a luxury but a necessity.
Prior to the pandemic, many were hesitant to make the shift to the cloud due to concerns regarding reliability, security and cost-efficiency. However, the pandemic has since shown organisations how valuable cloud-based solutions are and the necessity for strong cloud-based foundations to work effectively in an increasingly hybrid world.
However, cloud-based solutions are not completely foolproof. Make sure that your project management solutions are built on secure data centres to prevent any potential data loss. Pmo365 builds all its solutions on Microsoft Azure data centres that have to achieve IRAP certification. The Information Security Registered Assessors Program (IRAP) certifies platforms that have the highest standard of cyber and data security and it is used to maximize the security of the likes of the Australian federal and state government.
5. Elevating different soft skills
With the help of artificial intelligence and smart tools, project managers no longer need to expend valuable time on time-consuming, tedious and repetitive project management activities and can focus on more value-adding activities such as strategic planning, team development and leadership, all of which are built upon strong foundational soft skills like communication and adaptability.
Organisations like IBM are already investing heavily in employee soft skills development with new programs made to expand global leadership capabilities with emphasis on empathy and creativity training. For a future-proof project team, make sure to invest some time and resources into building your team’s soft skills.
Read more: Top 5 Soft Skills You Need to be the best PMO leader
6. Mental and physical health has entered the conversation
Burnout has been cited as one of the key contributors to the Great Resignation. Over the pandemic, many employees have taken on greater workloads, with little work-life balance leading to decreasing mental and physical health conditions. As organisations focus on retaining their existing talent, many will need to change their current practices and cultures to focus on improving employee health, satisfaction and by extension productivity.
Some ways you can improve your team’s physical and mental health is by setting clear expectations, goals and deadlines, offering schedule flexibility, including fitness benefits and applying more compassionate and empathy-based leadership styles.
7. AI continues to drive efficiency through automation
Artificial Intelligence has been the talk of the town for a while. However, the pandemic has accelerated organisational digitization and many are finally tapping into the full capabilities of artificial intelligence for their project management activities.
Artificial intelligence will bring significant changes to project management, some of these changes you may already have witnessed. From virtual robots to automated monitoring and reporting and data-driven assistance, AI will enable project managers to make better decisions faster and achieve overall greater efficiency throughout the organisation.
Read more: AI in Project Management: 8 Real Changes AI will bring to Project Management
For some, AI may be an exciting but intimidating concept to understand, let alone fully embrace. To help you get ahead of the curve, we’ve made a quick guide to help you prepare your project management office for artificial intelligence. Make sure to read more here.
8. Sustainability and Social Responsibility will become more prominent
Just like artificial intelligence, sustainability and social responsibility is no new kid on the block. However, the pandemic has also brought sustainability further in public prominence and organisations are beginning to truly grasp the value of more holistic project success, one that considers the planet and people along with profits.
As both clients and customers become socially and environmentally conscious, sustainability practices and measures will play a critical role in differentiating your organisations from others.
But simply grafting some sustainability measures into your pre-existing project management processes may not be enough and improper measures can even land organisations in hot waters with accusations of greenwashing. Different methodologies and standards have since emerged, such as PRiSM and the P5 Standards for Sustainability in Project Management, to make sure organisations are checking all the bases when it comes to sustainability.
Read more: Sustainable Project Management Explained
Stay Ahead of Project Management Trends with pmo365
The project management field moves fast and keeping up to date with the latest trends and innovations is a critical part of being a successful project management professional. At pmo365, we don’t just know about trends, we are always looking at how to tap into them and help our clients get the best service and tools the market can offer.
Talk to our PPM experts today to see how we can take your project management activities to the next level!
