OK, so you possibly won’t have many team members wanting to work from their garden in this weather, but does it really matter where employees work from? Does a café or beach environment have a direct impact on productivity or does the flexibility mean that your employees feel trusted and empowered to work from wherever they choose?
Working in a public space could come with issues concerning security (both internet connection and the nature of the work), and there will, inevitability, be questions around how distracting it is to work from a café for example - it certainly won’t suit everyone.
Trust
Working away from the office requires a high degree of confidence from managers and senior leadership,trusting that employees are actually working when they’re not based in an office. With some high-profile cases of workers having their employment terminated due to an abuse of that trust, there’s an expectation that employees will manage their own time effectively and ultimately be held accountable for their productivity.
Diversity
Some personality types will thrive working away from a traditional office environment, feeling that they have more autonomy over their time and a certain freedom to work as they choose, whilst others may struggle, with feelings of isolation and a lack of motivation.
Undeniably, being free from the office has its benefits and post-pandemic it’s become a way of life for numerous workers, enabling a better work-life balance, combined with the ability for many to manage other responsibilities in their lives. There will be some workers who may never have stepped foot in an office having started their working life during the pandemic years. But does the office environment give us something that our own home can’t?
Culture
Obviously, the main benefit of being in an office together is the collaboration with colleagues. Meeting face to face could be seen as far preferable to endless video calls.Office banter is also not to be underestimated - celebrating birthdays, life milestones and just finding the humour in day-to-day life all helps create a united team andan inclusive culture.
Against the backdrop of flexibility and hybrid working, there’s a growing number of recognisable brands bringing their staff back to the office for a full 5-day week. Some prominent business leaders have openly criticised the working from home culture, citing a drop in productivity, with Steve Scharzman, Chief Executive of investment firm the Blackstone Group claiming that remote workers “don’t work as hard.”
According to research by TonerGiant, 41% of British workers feel employees are less likely to get a promotion or pay rise if they do not spend enough time in the office. If employees are perceiving that adopting a hybrid model of working and not being ‘seen’ will be detrimental and negatively impact on their chances of promotion or a pay rise, will this drive people back to the office?
Earlier in the year we reached out to our LinkedIn followers to get a snapshot of how they would feel if they were told to return to the office 5 days a week. A conclusive 62% of respondents said they would look for a new role, 25% answered they would return to the office and 13% said they would appeal the request.
The poll confirmed that a hybrid working model is still very much a key factor in retaining talent and attracting new candidates and reflects how much value is placed on working models by our LinkedIn audience and in reality – our Recruiters are finding much the same response from our candidates.
At Allen & York, we’ve found that candidates still want roles that will support them in a hybrid, flexible working environment, with a split of 2/3 days in the office and 2/3 days at home. This working pattern provides the flexibility that candidates want, with the ability to arrange meetings and collaborate with colleagues on their days in the office.
Our consultants are experienced in matching the right people to the right roles and we listen to both clients and candidates to ensure we only send quality, qualified candidates for consideration, matching against qualification, skills, experience, and cultural fit.
For over 30 years, we have connected purpose-led organisations with purposeful people. Working with individuals, technical experts, talent acquisition specialists and recruitment teams, we help recruit individuals to look after the environment and the people working within it.
To see what we can do to help you, please contact one of our experienced, friendly consultants on +44(0)1202 888986 or email hello@allen-york.com