Hybrid emerges as the PEACEMAKER between The Push and The Resistance
Despite this, the stats still lag behind in terms of employee preferences, with workers favouring a hybrid model 83% of the time. However, it’s a somewhat positive sign. According to a survey by Crain’s Future of Work, 78% of HR professionals agree that flexible schedules and remote work are effective in retaining workers without incurring additional costs.
On the flip side, employees aren’t keen on being coerced into the office for tasks they could easily do remotely. As one corporate executive put it, “If organisations are trying to enforce a 5-day work week under the guise of hybrid work policies, then hybrid becomes like boiling the frog in pleasantly tepid water,” a response to the Senior VP of Amazon Video and Studios who mandated office return without solid data to support the decision — “I don’t have data to back it up, but I know it’s better.”
A workplace that makes people actually want to come to: To support hybrid work, companies are focusing on designing offices that encourage productivity. More companies are using workplace data to redesign their offices, focusing on flexibility, ergonomics, aesthetics, and positive vibes.
It’s 2024, and autonomy in work and the freedom to choose is valued. Ultimatums like “Come back to the office X days per week or get fired” won’t cut it anymore. There needs to be more flexibility, where managers and teams have the autonomy to set their own schedules. With clearer employee preferences regarding remote and in-person work, organisations are starting to align with employee needs rather than leadership views or industry norms.
We shall leave you to introspect.
