Prohaska Perspectives: November 2021

Hello Team Prohaska,

Matt’s giving me the Prohaska Perspectives mic to discuss a few topics, especially after spending most of my first month on the job at conferences on both sides of the Atlantic. Here are a few of the trends that are emerging not just from our experiences, but also the people we have been talking to.

> The future of work is hybrid — and not embracing it is a risk

The toothpaste is not going back in the tube. If you insist on day-in day-out office commutes and facetime for facetime’s sake as soon as Covid case numbers allow it, you are going to lose many of your best and brightest. You also are not going to do much for the loyalty of those that remain, or do your HR team any favors in terms of finding good replacements. This is true in the larger economy, as well as our industry.

> We could be entering a Golden Age for senior and premium talent

We have all dealt with organizations (especially big ones) that preferred to heavy up with cheap young talent. However, the challenges of managing, supporting and mentoring remote staff is never easy, and it’s made worse when the staffers are green. Making business more manageable with experienced and remote-ready self-starters is right in the wheelhouse for many of us on Team Prohaska. Frankly, it’s overdue — and you can also just trust the data on this. The job listings section of this email, seen below, is a *lot* longer than last month, and most of the opportunities were added just this month.

 > The future of events and networking is in flux

At conference after conference, the headcounts were smaller by necessity, yet we found that smaller groups often made for more frequent and more meaningful conversations with other attendees. Virtual events can’t provide the same real-world serendipity of bumping into a potential client or partner at the coffee bar. That said, they’re not going away. The option of virtual attendance is becoming a de facto standard of every industry event. We’re seeing conference organizers testing new models to enhance networking and add elements of real-world value as the world goes hybrid.

> Better broadband matters

Giving more regions broadband and improving uptime is not just an infrastructure talking point. It also helps to reduce costs and make remote meetings smoother, while laying the groundwork for enhanced features. We also think this will help open up online education opportunities in the industry.

> Volatility is the new normal

Consider what we have seen just in the past few months with changing valuations for ad tech on Wall Street, the sizzling merger and acquisitions market, continuing bad public relations for the biggest players and the back and forth on the obsolescence date of third-party cookies. Staying current has never been harder or more important.

I am happy to be on this journey with you, and hope to speak with you soon. Go Team Prohaska!

– Rachel Pasqua, CMO