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After the two years of pandemic shock, it is time for a great resettlement. Over the last two years, millions of employees and organisations worldwide resorted to remote work. Now, as the impact of the pandemic subdues, organisations are keen to have employees back in the office. But employees, having once tasted the freedom of working from anywhere, are reluctant to be tethered to desks and confined to 9 to 5. What they are willing to accept is a middle ground in the form of hybrid work.
A recent survey by Bridgentech, a tech-driven contract to hire staffing and solutions provider, revealed that 6 out of 10 employees are in favour of working in hybrid models over working from the office. At a time when organisations are permeated with employee burnout, declining mental health and the ‘great resignation’, leaders who seek to establish work from the office as the workplace norm must grapple with employees who are not willing to let go of their new-found flexibility and work-life balance.
Commenting on the findings of the survey, Piyush Raj Akhouri, Co-Founder & Business Head of Bridgentech, said, “As we debate the future of work, the HR world is divided among the advocates of total return to the office and those of 100% remote work but the majority seems to favour hybrid work. The best place to work is one where employees feel their most productive and self, regardless of the location. It is time for organisations to reimagine a hybrid work culture that offers flexibility, greater work-life balance, improved employee wellness and diversity and inclusivity to their employees.”
The Risk-Return Dilemma
As organisations and employees negotiate the future of work, leaders are witnessing a risk-return dilemma where they must weigh the pros and cons wisely. The key benefits of hybrid work as cited by employees are work-life balance, commute time and cost savings, increased flexibility and improved productivity. Some minority groups, such as disabled or convalescent employees and working mothers, have also demonstrated a strong preference for hybrid work. Springing up of diverse talent pools, access to gig workers and freelancers and savings on real estate costs are some possible dividends from hybrid work.
At the same time, hybrid work brings with it the challenges of employee burnout, poor engagement and communication gaps. Bereft of the office’s social structure and the essential face-to-face time, employees can end up feeling overlooked, isolated and demoralised. Leaders must find the sweet spot between hybrid work and the needs of organisation and employees to tailor a work model which can be remote-first hybrid or office-centric hybrid. The focus should not be so much on the workplace as it should be on workplace experience. An inclusive hybrid work culture can turn the tables from attrition to attraction.
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