The Hybrid Working Revolution: The Perspective of Employees and Managers

In recent years, the way we work has undergone a drastic change. Hybrid working, a model where employees can flexibly choose between working in the office and at other locations, has become a dominant trend in the labor market. This development has far-reaching consequences for both employees and employers, and brings new challenges and opportunities for the real estate sector, particularly in the areas of office design and flexible workplaces.

What is hybrid working?

Hybrid working allows employees to choose their work location, ranging from headquarters to home, satellite offices, coworking spaces, or even local coffee shops. Recent research shows that 53% of employees are considering moving to hybrid or remote work in the coming year [¹]. This flexibility allows employees to organize their time more efficiently, which often results in increased motivation and productivity.

The benefits of hybrid working extend to various aspects of business. Employers can save on office space and related facility costs. In addition, reducing commuting contributes to a better work-life balance for employees and a reduction in companies' CO2 emissions.

The employee perspective

The recent shift to hybrid working has had a significant impact on employee priorities. Research shows that 47% of employees now value family and personal life more than work, compared to the period before the pandemic². In addition, 53% say they give more priority to health and well-being [²].

An important aspect of hybrid working is the need for clarity and purpose. Research shows that 38% of hybrid workers say their biggest challenge is knowing when and why to come to the office [¹]. In addition, 73% of employees say they need a compelling reason to go to the office [¹].

Supervisors' perspective

As employees embrace the benefits of hybrid working, many executives are struggling to implement it. One of the biggest concerns of executives is the perception of reduced productivity in hybrid working. While 87% of employees consider themselves productive, 85% of executives have trouble trusting the productivity of their employees in a hybrid work environment [¹].

This lack of trust can lead to what Microsoft calls “productivity paranoia,” where executives fear lost productivity despite increasing work hours and meetings¹. This paranoia is further fueled by the increase in digital overload: the average Microsoft Teams user has seen a 252% increase in weekly meeting time since February 2020 [¹].

Leaders face significant challenges in navigating this new world of work. As many as 74% of managers say they don't have the influence or resources to make changes for their team, and 54% of executives acknowledge that leadership has lost sight of how difficult the past few years have been for employees [¹].

The productivity paradox

The discrepancy between employee and supervisors' perceptions of productivity points to a fundamental problem in how companies measure performance. Many organizations still focus on activity rather than impact, which can lead to a “productivity theater” where employees feel compelled to constantly demonstrate their activities [¹].

To address this challenge, it's crucial that companies reconsider their approach to performance measurement. Microsoft, for example, has changed its focus from measuring “employee engagement” to “employee thriving”, including factors such as well-being, meaningful work, and work-life balance [³].

Implications for office design and flexible workplaces

The rise of hybrid working has significant consequences for the real estate sector, particularly in the areas of office design and flexible workplaces. Research shows that 84% of employees would be motivated to go to the office if they were able to spend social time with colleagues [¹]. This underlines the importance of creating spaces that promote social interaction and collaboration.

Flexible workplaces are becoming increasingly important in this new reality. Offices must now provide space for both individual work and collaboration, with a focus on facilitating effective communication between on-site and remote team members. This is supported by the fact that 85% of employees say they are motivated to come to the office when their immediate team members are present [¹].

The future of hybrid work

Despite the challenges, more and more executives are recognizing the benefits of hybrid working, especially because of the positive impact on employee morale and well-being. Microsoft's research shows that effective communication is critical to the success of hybrid work, with 96% of executives and 95% of employees seeing it as a critical skill for the coming year¹.

To succeed in this new world of work, organizations must find a balance between the needs of their employees and the operational requirements of the company. This requires a flexible approach to office design, a rethink of performance measurement, and a focus on effective communication and collaboration regardless of employees' physical location.

Conclusion

We can see that hybrid working is not just a temporary trend, but a fundamental shift in how we approach work. For the real estate sector and HR professionals, this offers both challenges and opportunities. By being flexible and innovative in their approach to office design, workplace reservation and personnel policy, organizations can position themselves for success in this new reality of work.

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Resources

[¹] Microsoft. (2023). Work Trend Index 2023: Will AI Fix Work?

[²] Microsoft. (2022). Work Trend Index 2022: Great Expectations: Making Hybrid Work Work.

[³] Harvard Business Review, Hyder, A., & Bhan, N. (2022). Why Microsoft Measures Employee Thriving, Not Engagement.

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This article was written by YourSpace