My first instinct was to write some commentary on this article as the "swing of the pendulum," but the hybrid/remote work explosion and subsequent (potential) implosion aren't quite appropriate for the ubiquitous physics analogy. The former won't simply be a contrast to the latter. Employers have been careful and deliberative in ratcheting-up pressure on employees to return the office - moving from COVID-era acceptance, to the suggestion of best practices, to passive-agressive mandates, to full on disciplinary action. As someone with 20 years of work experience prior to COVID, I can happily acknowledge that a mandatory 5-day in-person work week is a bygone tradition for most professional workplaces. That said, the return of in-person work won't be some equal and opposite reaction to the full-blown remote environment of mid-2020, but a response that will seek to remind people that "workplace" carries value above and beyond the bottom line of the company (e.g. social and professional development) while amending the work-life balance that was badly askew prior to the pandemic. #backtowork #commercialrealestate #tenantrep

“While the #push to get #workers back to the #office may seem #aggressive after #years of work #flexibility, most companies are #still allowing #employees to #work some days at #home – a #major shift in #remote work #compared to #pre-pandemic times. #Before the #pandemic, 3% of #all American workers were #remote at least #part of the week. #Now, it’s about a #quarter of workers, #according to #Goldman Sachs, one of the #only major companies #requiring its workers to work #full-time in the #office. Goldman Sachs has #noted that the #pandemic brought on #key structural changes that #allow for #hybrid work policies, particularly better #technology. For #many workers, their #hybrid policies are #likely to stay. A new #survey of American #CEOs found that #only six of 158 said they will #prioritize bringing workers #back to the office #full-time in 2024. Another #survey from #Deloitte in #November found 65% of #chief financial officers #surveyed said they will #keep hybrid policies in #place this #year.

There is an interesting remark in this article about Citi mandating attendance in their UK offices which introduces yet another angle on the employer vs. employee perception debate. "The note said acceptable reasons for office absence included site capacity limitations, business travel, annual leave, sick leave, medical adjustments, people with formal flexible working agreements and part-time employment." Who exactly decides if there are "site capacity limitations" -- especially with an eye on desired resources and the type of work being done -- and how quick do you think employees will invoke that clause? https://lnkd.in/erA82Bua

Finance firms are trying to force employees to return to the office, and they are not having it. Around half of some 180 City workers polled by Financial News said the number of days they are required back in the office has gone up over the past 12 months. Of these, 38% said they have considered quitting their jobs because of their employers’ changing policies on hybrid working. #hybridwork #returntooffice #banks #assetmanagement #lawfirm https://lnkd.in/eEJdYD86

The biggest Wall Street banks are intensifying their push for employees to return to the office. In New York City, where the financial sector accounts for 1 out of every 11 jobs, only 43% of employees had returned to the office in August, according to Kastle Systems, which tracks office building badge swipes. It's inevitable that employers will get their way in these high inflationary times. The employee's 'sellers market' is gradually shifting to an employer's 'buyer's market'. #returntooffice #workfromhome #remoteworking #hybridwork

Are you working from anywhere in the slightly overdue sun ☀️ or are you returning to the office again? Nick Bloom's research says that people tend to value two to three days working from home as equivalent to an 8% pay rise! However, Citi has started monitoring how often their staff work from the office and could dock the bonuses of those who fail to turn up at least three days a week. With the importance of #flexibility being shared by workforces, we think there’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach to office attendance. But what do you think? #WorkFromHome #WFH #ReturnToOffice https://lnkd.in/dDFYNhja

The in-office, at-home debate rages on, with new research that suggests over half of workers would resign if required to work five days in the office. https://hubs.la/Q02yBzCw0 It's a view backed by Santander's CEO, who says he never would have taken the job had it required him be in the office five days a week. https://hubs.la/Q02yBym00 This is an interesting sentiment, as another recent survey suggested that two in five British workers felt that they were less likely to get a pay rise if they didn't spend enough time in the office. To further explore the findings of this survey and the implications of remote work on career advancement, we spoke with Hayley Saunders, HR Technical Consultant at AdviserPlus, to gain insights into how working from home might influence professional growth and the considerations, like "proximity bias" that HR should keep in mind. Read more here: https://hubs.la/Q02yBrBL0 #wfh # workingfromhome #remotework #careerprogression #diversityandinclusion

Thanks Alex Levy and an interesting post Simon Gee, as ever. I don't think it's the 'end of WFH', so much as a 'wake-up' call for those who think that it's some kind of 'right'. Call it redressing the balance if you will. The whole WFH debate amuses and concerns me in equal measure, as it's skewed and not everyone benefits and I say this as someone who first worked 'remotely' in 2010. For some, it would appear that, work is a 'lifestyle choice', not the contractual arrangement it actually is, where one party pays the other for their time and indeed their work. After all, 'he (other pronouns are available) who pays the piper calls the tune', is a truism for a reason and it was ever thus. It's also worth noting, that wfh is not an option for many low-paid workers (cleaners, drivers, hospitality, etc.). So if it is an option for you, you're already doing better than most. IMHV, the debate needs re-phrasing, in terms of flexibility of working conditions, across a spectrum, as opposed to the binary nature of WFH v. being present. Have a nice day everyone.

Flexible working is no longer out the ordinary but the time has come for some employers to encourage their staff to return to the office, sparking widespread debate. In this piece by The Times, experts share their thoughts, including Yvonne Smyth, Director at Hays specialising in HR, who considers the issues employers could face with talent attraction and retention if they no longer offer appealing flexible working policies. https://lnkd.in/era-GzyX #returntooffice #flexibleworking #hybridworking #workingforyourtomorrow

Are return-to-office mandates going to backfire? 💥 With September here, more and more companies are calling time on the work-from-home era, including the likes of Citi, Amazon, and Zoom. But recent surveys have found that enforcing office attendance could definitely end up backfiring… 💼 Greenhouse Software found that 76% of employees stand ready to jump ship if their companies decide to pull the plug on flexible work schedules 💼 Unispace found that 42% of companies with return-to-office mandates witnessed a higher level of employee attrition than they had anticipated 💼 The Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED) found that employees equate shifting from a flexible work model to a traditional one to experiencing a 2-3% pay cut If companies really want to get employees to return to the office, they need to focus on creating workplaces and cultures that people actually want to be in. As Martin Towns explains, “If you have an attractive office which makes peoples’ working life more enjoyable, that’s going to help you relative to your competition.” How will the work-from-home clampdown pan out? Read more in this article in The Times. https://lnkd.in/dDFYNhja #Office #Workplace #ReturnToWork