Hybrid work is here to stay

The world of work has changed, but it is sometimes difficult to quantify to what extent.

Conference device developer, Owl Labs, has investigated exactly what has altered in workplaces in an illuminating study.

In collaboration with remote work consulting firm Global Workplace Analytics, Owl Labs surveyed 2,050 full-time workers in the US.

The results found that worker expectations, and the way that offices are used, have shifted dramatically over the pandemic.

This is unsurprising given that 70% of full-time US workers now carry out tasks with an element of remote working.

Not only that, but the pandemic illustrated how workers could be productive while working with greater flexibility and less restrictive office policies.

The state of remote work

The survey found that 76% of people said working from home after the pandemic would make them happier.

On a more severe note, one in four would quit their job if they could no longer work remotely after the pandemic, with an additional 19% still undecided.

These statistics will be alarming for those who are worried about staff retention amidst the ‘Great Resignation‘.

This is especially as there appears to be a disconnect between employees and employers; while 39% of employers are requiring employees to be in the office full-time post-pandemic, only 29% of workers want to return.

Employees know what they want; 70% desire a hybrid or remote working style after the pandemic is over. However, hybrid work has its own challenges for businesses to navigate.

Shifting to hybrid work

Mastering hybrid work is difficult, as it requires enabling flexible work alongside the semblance of structure.

In fact, not everyone has been keen to embrace this emerging work methodology and the EU has seen backlash from its workers.

With that in mind, employers need to understand the sentiment within their organization.

The most obvious way to understand this is to survey workers.

By sending a timely survey with probing questions through the likes of People Insight and Culture Amp employers can have a greater understanding of the direction they need to take.

However, it is vital that managers take on board the feedback they are receiving so that employees feel valued.

However, surveys will not solve all problems. Research by Untapped AI found that people are often not completely honest when they fill them out.

With that in mind, using analytics can provide an understanding of how employees work and why they may not want to return to an office space consistently.

There is also a need to understand the circumstances of workers. If they are a parent or carers, meetings during the mornings in offices may be less than convenient.

In these instances, employees may look to new vacancies that give them the flexibility they gained over the pandemic.

Hybrid work is here to stay, but research and effort is required to make it a success.