Most of us who are lucky enough to enjoy full time employment are pretty clear on when it’s time to go to work. But on where to go to work, opinions remain divided. As of this month, according to Forbes, 12% of American workers work from home while 28% work in a hybrid model. The balance still goes to a workplace despite 65% of them saying they’d rather be at home. Having watched the US version of ‘The Office’, I don’t blame them.
The latest information from the UK comes from the corporate recruiter Hays. They report that many employers have adopted hot-desking while others have refitted their workplace to facilitate a smooth hybrid-working approach, including installing large screens, cameras and microphones for meetings.
However, their survey of 15,000 professionals and employers suggests that the tide may be turning on hybrid working. The numbers show 43% working in the office full time, a six-point increase on last year. The shift comes despite more employers offering hybrid options, at 61% versus 47% in 2021.
Hybrid working is also less of a lure for job hunters, with 57% saying they would forgo hybrid working for the right job.
The latest round of global employee engagement surveys identifies a number of powerful reasons why employees want to return to a place of work. Top of the list comes better access to leaders and decision-makers with more informal conversations building opportunities for career advancement.
Being in the same physical location as colleagues can lead to more meaningful relationships and enjoyable social interactions. Exposure to informal learning opportunities from peers and supervisors is highly-valued. And being physically connected to the company culture makes it much easier to do things the way they are meant to be done.
But perhaps one of the strongest motivators for the return to the workplace lies in the personal wellbeing space. Commuting to the office definitely helps employees to separate work from their personal lives. Getting dressed up and having in-person conversations also promote mental and physical well-being.
But just when employers think the hybrid working dilemma might be receding, there’s another interesting conversation looming on the horizon. Large numbers of UK employees (45% and increasing) are now hoping for a 4-day working week, with no loss of pay.
Recent participants in global 4-day working week experiments reported reduced burnout and benefits to health, finances and relationships. The majority of bosses involved also rated the experience well, saying business performance and productivity remained high, revenue increased and staff turnover dropped. Sounds too good to be true.
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