As new working methods emerge in the post-COVID era, employers and employees seem most satisfied with the hybrid model, which combine on-site and remote work.
Nonetheless, employers should rethink making this their default approach, according to a well-being expert.
It has been reported in many studies that working at home has benefited workers, but these benefits won’t last, according to Laura Putnam, Motion Infusion CEO.
She points out the level of engagement among workers. The level of engagement surprisingly increased at the beginning of the pandemic, according to Putnam. After George Floyd’s murder and throughout the pandemic, engagement rates declined to historic lows. In other words, they dropped from historic highs to historic lows.
As for one company that has benefited tremendously from the new reality, the hybrid model has worked and it believes that’s the way forward.
A strong company culture helps facilitate productivity, team collaboration, and contributes to a strong company culture, according to Matthew Saxon, chief people officer of Zoom, whose sales climbed 326% to $2.6 billion in 2020. Depending on the organization, this may mean hybrid or fully remote work. For others, achieving those goals requires in-person work.
A new report says, however, that the old guard is still enamored of the old ways, and will continue to claw their way back.
In Forrester’s Predictions 2023: Future of Work, it was found that four in 10 companies who adapted the hybrid work setup will try to undo anywhere work and fail — with 49% considering changing their return-to-office strategy this year.
Why? There are economic panics and inflationary fears at the bottom of all this.
There is an inadvertent return to old habits among employers in response to the ongoing talent shortage, according to Forrester principal analyst J.P Gownder.
New research suggests that forcing employees back to the mothership can cost employers. A September survey of more than 300 adults found that workers would accept a 26.93% salary increase if their employers want them to return to work full-time.
