By Eduardo Durazo Watanabe*
The widespread hope from business is that, finally, 2023 will be the year of the post-pandemic. This does not necessarily mean that Covid-19 has disappeared, but there is a sense of normalcy that has been restored, thanks to sanitary measures, vaccines and virus mutations.
This does not mean that this coming year will be exempt from challenges for many of the companies that are barely recovering from the ravages caused by social isolation. Nevertheless, it is important to recognize that there were also winners in these circumstances: companies in the health sector, e-commerce and information technology are just examples of industries that saw a significant increase in their operations.
The work trends that will be most noticeable this year are:
nearshoring
The geopolitical changes of the last year, involving Russia’s war against Ukraine and the conflicting statements between the US and China, have created a global crisis on several fronts: energy, food, supply chain, among others. .
The uncertainty that accompanies these political movements has made Western markets once again turn to suppliers in areas of geographic and political proximity. Mexico is, therefore, strategically positioned by being part of the T-MEC, with Canada and the US. In this circumstance, the comparative advantage that its 3,152 km of border with the largest market in the world gives it becomes an asset that many companies are already taking advantage of, by substituting Asian or European suppliers.
Another area of opportunity is the sectors that have become strategic and that are perceived as continental security. A clear example is the semiconductor sector. These components are traditionally manufactured in Taiwan, but China’s intentions to unify its territory, annexing this country, are perceived. With this, this fundamental input could be lost for a large number of devices and products that depend on them for their operation.
before thisthe US will invest around 200,000 million dollars to encourage the creation and promotion of companies in this sector.
Hybrid work mode
Although face-to-face has returned as a model of interaction, the advantages that were experienced during remote work isolation and the opportunities that were generated regarding the infrastructure acquired to be able to attend videoconferences are undeniable. In the case of the consumer goods and restaurant sectors, the equipment for remote delivery or the association with applications with third parties for this same purpose opened channels that generated new business avenueswhich are not expected to close.
However, there are sectors that are taking advantage of the return to face-to-face. That is why a hybrid modality between face-to-face and virtual is an alternative that will allow you to take advantage of both optionswithout compromising the operation of the organizations.
human sustainability
Sustainability has become a horizontal concept that crosses all areas of organizations. Initially it was understood as the care of natural resources in industries with a great impact on the environment. However, this has been changing towards concepts such as the circular economywhich integrates the entire cycle of production and consumption of products.
The impact that the human element has on organizations is increasingly notable. Despite the fact that technology has been taking a preponderant role in many industries, the work of most organizations still depends fundamentally on the participation of people who, with their daily actions, define the direction of the firms. It is because of that ignoring the welfare of employees is not only a bad business strategy —because of the costs associated with staff turnover—, but it speaks of the company’s philosophy and it is a consideration that more and more users take into account when choosing a product or service.
Despite the fact that these will be the business activities that can be used the most, not all companies can opt for them, due to the fact that the migration between the mentioned tendencies requires time of adaptation and learning in which employees understand how to adapt their brands, products, and production lines according to the needs of their customers and new opportunities.
2023 has great challenges, but it also presents great convenience for those who remain current in the face of circumstances, which three years after the pandemic are now diametrically different. This year’s winners will be those who take advantage of the lessons learned regarding what their users and customers currently need and manage to implement them in their organizations.
*Eduardo Durazo He is a professor and researcher at the CGSB and a member of the INNSIGNIA Institute of CETYS Universidad Campus Internacional Ensenada.
Editor’s Note: This text belongs to our Opinion section and reflects only the author’s vision, not necessarily the High Level point of view.
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