The year is in full gear, but it’s still early enough to look at what’s happening in the business world. With that in mind, I thought I’d take a peek around and see what appears to be trending. Here are the five most important business trends for 2019, in this writer’s humble opinion:
Data Security is Important
It should come as a surprise to no one that data security, both for your company and your customers, is an incredibly important business trend. And we should not be expecting this to change for 2019. With the increase in data protection regulation and the growing visibility on incidents that violate security, it’s important to take into consideration your data security when operating this year.
Wellness in the Workplace
As the world seemingly opens up more on the topic of mental health and work-life balance, it appears that wellness in the workplace is going to be a hot topic in 2019. The workforce today is less committed to the old definition of loyalty and towing the company line at all costs, and are looking for workplaces that put more emphasis on balanced lifestyles and overall wellness.
This makes sense, and if you ask me, it’s a good business trend. We spend a lot of our waking time at work, so it’s really important that our workplace benefits us both personally and professionally. Burnout is a real thing, and it ends well for no one.
Sustainability is Not Simply a Trend
In past years, in many regards, we’ve considered sustainability to be a business trend. Something we do as business owners and community-oriented organizations to stay on top of trends and garner support within the community. But it’s becoming more and more important and increasingly clear that the idea of sustainability is here to stay.
Consumers, governments, and employees all care about our businesses sustainability practices. In 2019, it’s time that business stop thinking of sustainability as a trend but as a standard of operation. Sustainability is the new normal.
Remote Work
The remote workplace is becoming an increasingly prominent business trend in the online world. Not only do a lot (but not all) of the millennial workforce enjoy remote working conditions, but in some cases, especially for smaller startups, a remote work setup can save money.
As we get further into 2019, we’ll likely see more and more remote workplaces popping up — especially as the gig economy increases and more side hustles pop up, many of which start in a remote environment.
Marketing Practices that are Personalized
It’s become apparent over the recent years to marketers around the world how important it is to connect with customers on a personal level. Whether it’s connecting with them on Twitter using a hilarious meme (I’m looking at you KFC), creating personal ads that speak to our target audience or simply creating a brand that speaks to people on a more direct level, we know we have to do it with meaning behind it.
Gone are the days where a single add would do a product or campaign justice. Modern marketing is all about tailoring your product, marketing, and overall image to suit the needs and desires of your ideal target. So this year, when it comes to planning and implementing your marketing strategy, make sure you keep your customer avatar in mind!
Keeping Up With Business Trends
Sometimes when we think of business trends, we think of things that come and go, fluctuating with time and circumstance. But, when it comes to the business trends I’ve identified for 2019, I think they’re more crucial than that. Luckily for us as small business owners, they’re not only trendy, but they’re things we should be thinking about when it comes to running our business more efficiently so that it serves our customers better.
Are there more important business trends that you can think about? Share them in the comments below!
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Tae started out as a journalist before following the money into the corporate world. But it turns out that the grass isn’t always greener and now you can find her spending most of her time writing about all the things she loves. Namely, money, travel and business with a hefty dose of self-deprecating humor. She is a podcast fanatic, blogging aficionado and loves to find new ways to turn passions into cold hard cash!
