Is this the new normal? Well, there’s no such thing as “normal,” but there is a new way of thinking.
Over the last few years we’ve learned that “normal” might be what people were used to, but it only truly benefited a privileged few.
As companies navigate what the future of work looks like, they’re forced to look beyond the bottom line. Are employees happy? Do they feel connected to their work and the organization’s culture? Are customers being heard? More so, are companies listening?
Our world has been divided into three: BC (before COVID-19), pandemic, and now (the “new normal”) — and BC feels a lot longer than two years ago. Our research provides a data-driven look at organizations’ approach to the shifting landscape of the last few years.
In 2020, our research period closed before COVID-19 was widespread. Community programs were growing and changing in predictable ways, and the 2020 data was unsurprising. While there will always be new communities at the top of the funnel, mature communities were behaving as expected.
2021’s research reflected the first year of COVID-19’s impact on organizations. Globally, companies battened down their proverbial hatches, preparing for the storm COVID-19 brought. Budgets and hiring froze; understanding and urgency were up.
Few community programs had the financial resources to go beyond the status quo — even with increasing demand.
Online communities are experiencing a resurgence in 2022. After two uncertain years, where the target was in constant motion, community initiatives have proven their impact in both qualitative and quantitative ways, and are starting to reap the rewards and resources they deserve.
Does Community: The New Normal resonate with what you see in your organization? Read more in the 2022 edition of the State of Community Management.
