The future workplace is here. What does the workplace model look like for you? Options – Total remote working, Hybrid style or a new role to stretch you? A flexible and more inclusive working model?
Now is the time to examine which model could be better.
The pandemic has disrupted the workplace model so drastically at a rapid pace, we have never seen before. The outbreak of COVID-19 forced most organisations to send employees home with no remote work policy. In the last quarter of 2021, we noticed many businesses want employees to return to the old office routines.
However, returning to the old normal is not an option for most employees. They are happy with the flexible arrangement and less time commuting to work. These are some benefits brought in by the pandemic. So, are employees willing to flock back to the physical office after more than a year of remote/hybrid working?
Physical, Remote or Hybrid
The findings of a survey of more than 350 CEOs, HR and finance leaders found that 70% wanted their employees back in the office. First, we look at why some leaders are keen to have employees back in the house. Nicholas Bloom at Stanford University believes the mindset is due to the old-fashioned, top-down bureaucracy culture.
“They don’t want employees checking in from a Greek café or Thai beach resort,” he says. Those leaders also think remote working reduces productivity and the lack of confidentiality. They view the loss of informal interactions would impact employees’ collaboration and company culture.
According to a LinkedIn Poll in October 2021, nearly 50% of 151,200 surveyed prefer a flexible working model in which they decide when to go to the office. They felt working from home provides better work-life balance, a wider workforce talent pool and greater employee inclusion. No more office gossip is the top benefit. Some also remarked less Beaucratic drama, forced parties and constant disruption.
There is a big disconnect between business leaders and employees on this issue. Forcing employees to return to non-flexible work arrangements could leave organisations vulnerable to retaining talent. We are seeing a chronic staff shortage across several industries around the world. Many hotel and resort managers struggle to hire their experienced front office workers back to work.
Whether we will return to the office full-time or transition to a remote workplace, one thing is for sure – office life has changed forever. The structure of the post-pandemic workplace model must consider the balance of life.
The Career Success Metrics
Today employees see SUCCESS from a different perspective than before. Success has changed to prioritising work and life balance also mental health. They want a meaningful job over a steady paycheck. People no longer tolerate companies that do not value them or treat them poorly. They hold employers to a higher standard than ever before.
A job is no longer just any ordinary job. Employees feel proud of their work. They are willing to go the extra mile to get the job done. You cannot measure a satisfying career by the amount of take-home money.
Hybrid Workplace
There is no one-size-fits-all approach. A better workplace model depends on the organisation and the industry. Employers must make the difficult choice between keeping their employees and ensuring the survival of their business. More than half of employees surveyed prefer the hybrid workplace model. The hybrid workplace model closes the widening divide between employees and their employers as the ideal post-pandemic workplace model. It allows flexibility and security for both parties.
Technologies allow leaders to choose the perfect option to thrive in the post-pandemic. Companies could examine their productivity level during the pandemic relative to pre-COVID to determine if a remote or hybrid model is suitable. There are no hard-and-fast rules. Therefore, companies must carefully assess each option.
Will business leaders create a new workplace that keeps employees both happy and productive post-pandemic or insist on returning to the status quo?
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