Come back or not come back … that's the question
With the recent Panorama documentary Asking whether we must always work at home, the return to the office of the office is back in the news.
Lord Stuart Rose, former president of M&S, ASDA and Ocado, told BBC documentary “We create an entire generation, and probably a generation beyond that, people who are used to doing what I call” good work “.
Lord Rose believes that home work decreases productivity, personal development is slowing down and that mental health is considerably affected without the structure and collaboration of a work environment.
His opinions have led to fierce criticism from flexible labor activists, and it also seems that employees do not agree.
The latest publication of Randstad's annual workmonitor study revealed that the balance of private work-life has exceeded remuneration as the absolute priority of workers for the first time in 22 years of history.
The survey of 26,000 workers in 35 countries revealed that 83% said that the work balance was their main motivation factor, while 82% favored salary.
The survey on the prospects of the CIPD fall 2024 labor market revealed that the adoption of hybrid forms of work remains widespread.
41% of employers authorize hybrid work and set up formalized policies.
19% of employers have informal practices for hybrid work while 15% are in a “test and learning stage”.
What is clear is that the nature of hybrid work varies depending on the industry and the type of business.
Half of the major private, public and volunteers have formal hybrid policies in place in the informal arrangements of SMEs or not being able to offer hybrid work is much more common.
The success or not of hybrid work is also specific to the context, and the results depends heavily on the nature of the work, the employment sector, the policies and organizational culture, the management of lines and even the personality traits of the employees.
It does not work for each company, and it does not work for each employee.
The Panorama documentary was broadcast following a rush to well -known companies with a return of five days a week to the office mandates.
Some of these big names included boots, Amazon and Barclays Bank.
While a popular advantage for the staff, going back to the office is apparently an increasing trend because there is a consensus among the leaders according to which homework leads to a loss of link with the objective and the culture of the organization.
But some employees have shown resistance to this return to work trend.
The staff of the National Statistics Office even refuses to return to the office for 40% of the work week and vote to strike in response to the organization's requirements.
When you look at your policy or your practice on hybrid work, remember that there is no unique method and it is important to have a clear justification and based on evidence for your approach.
Employers should try to find a balance to respond to personnel comments that operate for the company, balancing productivity with support for employee work.
It is in the interest of employers to understand what people want and try to find a solution that works for everyone.
