2021 Trends in Project Management: A Recap

At the end of 2020, we looked at a handful of trends we expected to see in the project management industry in 2021. After another roller coaster of a year, some of these trends held true and others we hadn’t foreseen came to the surface. Here’s a look back at the trends, innovations and challenges 2021 brought our field. 

The Great Resignation 

In 2021 millions of people said enough was enough and quit their jobs. The reasons varied, from being underpaid or escaping toxic work environments to a simple desire to do something different, but the impact was massive. The already struggling pandemic-era economy suddenly faced new labor shortages and pauses to projects that now didn’t have the needed staffing. Coupled with supply-chain issues, many projects went off schedule or were canceled. Our prediction that 2021 would need more emotionally intelligent leaders became even more true. Work-life balance has a new importance to employees, and their expectations of being treated well won’t be compromised. 

Hybrid Approaches 

In 2020 we said that hybrid approaches to project management would grow in usage, and they certainly did. Project managers and teams now pull from Agile, Waterfall, Scrum, traditional processes, and more to better work with various stakeholders on a project. Projects and the teams making them happen are more flexible than ever. Hybrid approaches can boost efficiency, stability and collaboration among teams, and we expect this method to continue increasing in popularity in 2022. 

Increased Use of Software 

As remote work became a permanent reality for many industries, the software and digital tools teams are using became even more important. Teams now use software for everything from project management and communication to scheduling and budgeting. Our own platform, The Hammer Solutions, saw a number of important updates this year, including the long-awaited single sign on feature and adjustments that make reporting easier. 

Remote Work Forever  

Distributed teams are now commonplace. Even teams that have gone back to the office often have weekly work-from-home days. MRC has been operating with a distributed model for years, yet even for us, this new era presented a few challenges. We experimented with new ways to connect our team, train new members, and keep a focus on mentorship, and we plan to continue evolving these areas in 2022.