No year is without challenges in the world of business, but 2021 has been a year full of unique challenges that every business is facing for the first time in addition to the challenges a business will generally face every year. Knowing what each year has brought can help you to prepare for the coming year and get ready for new and interesting challenges. Here are a few of the biggest challenges that businesses of all kinds have faced throughout the year of 2021.
Getting Your Marketing Messaging Right
Marketing has a lot to do with putting out the right message, and that can be a challenge in any year. But with the pandemic and the other shifts that 2021 has been dealing with, getting messaging right in marketing is even more important. It takes a lot of work and knowledge of both your products and your audience to get your messaging right. And in a high stress period like this year has been, it is especially important to take the time to get to know your target market better so you can better tailor your messaging to the issues that are happening in the world around you.
Supply Chain Issues
The supply chain has been experiencing some major setbacks this year. Basically, every industry is struggling to get the parts and packaging they need to put their products out on time. Whether you are in manufacturing or print making, your business has likely felt the strain of the supply chain issues that are prevalent throughout the world. This means that many people have been unable to access the products they need when they need them as businesses are struggling to get their products out on the market. It is a good time to be thinking ahead and preparing for future issues by finding ways to anticipate what is coming next.
Cybersecurity Threats
Dealing with cybersecurity threats is never something that you want to tackle, but it is something that needs to be taken seriously by every business on the market. The most important thing is making sure that your data is adequately protected so you don’t experience a breach. Things like encryption and even basic security training for all your employees can help you to take care of cyber security threats and make sure that your data, your employees, and your products are safe from cyber threats. As you build in safer processes, it will be good for everyone at your company.
Remote Work
Over the past year or two, many employees have made the transition into remote work. This was a perfect fit in some industries, but in others it presented many challenges, especially early in the transition. Even the jobs best suited to remote work had to go through some changes to make things work for their company. Though remote work has come with many challenges, it has also come with a variety of benefits for both employees and employers. One of the most surprising benefits has been an increase in productivity for many workers in many industries. The main thing is ensuring clear communication, so employees and employers are on the same page.
Employee Retention
It is also a difficult time for retaining employees. This is especially true since many employees have been reevaluating whether their current position is actually meeting their needs in an effective way. A survey recently found that 37% of employees are thinking about quitting their jobs. The best way to avoid an issue with retention is to do the best you can to treat employees fairly and make sure their needs are covered by the benefits and salary you offer. Especially during the pandemic, it became clear that some employers were not offering their employees what they need to be productive in the workplace while also being happy and healthy in their outside life.
An Unpredictable Market
One of the most difficult challenges of this year has been dealing with the constantly changing landscape across industries, political lines, and physical space. Dealing with those changes can be hard for any business, especially when you have a usual way of doing things that has been disrupted by changes. To deal with a changing market you have to be able to figure out what changes are coming and the best ways to adapt to them. This is a complicated and frustrating process that can be hard on any business. Take time to assess your own business’s changes and let those help guide you forward.
Delivery Issues
As more people have been at home in the past year, ordering online and having things delivered has become an even more popular way of getting products they need. This has led to the mail and other delivery services being more difficult and slower than in previous years. This can be challenging for businesses that are competing with huge companies with the ability to offer almost immediate delivery to their customers. Being honest about that process and connecting with your customers in meaningful ways can help to combat those delivery issues in a less direct but helpful way.
Hiring Struggles
Much like employee retention issues there has also been an increase in hiring issues throughout 2021. More and more potential employees have become more invested in finding work that offers benefits and salaries that actually meet their needs. Work life balance is another important part of a job to people currently in the job search. However, with the move to remote work for many companies, it is possible to bring in great talent to your business by offering the flexibility that kind of work can provide to all employees.
Employee Health
The pandemic has made it glaringly obvious that employee health is important to the success of any company. But not all companies have the robust health coverage necessary to make sure that their employees are healthy and able to complete their work safely. Finding ways to offer employees good health benefits and promote health in and out of the office can help you to keep your business running strong and build better loyalty among your employees. Every business has unique needs, but all employees need access to healthy options to allow them to better work in a productive and meaningful way.
Rising Costs
Costs are generally rising throughout industries and it can sometimes be difficult to deal with those rising costs as a business owner. Adjusting your own prices to better cover the costs of supplies is a major challenge that takes a high level of finesse. In some ways you can keep your costs low by changing your buying process and planning ahead. But even this option is incredibly challenging as you juggle all the other aspects of your business. When you have relationships with your suppliers it can help you to navigate the challenges of rising costs in a mutually beneficial way.
The world of business is always challenging, but each year new challenges emerge for all business owners. The more you know about the challenges you have faced so far, the better it is for your future. And as you plan for your business moving forward, you can deal with the challenges that are coming your way.
Read this next: The Top Social Media Platforms Businesses Should Be Using