Dive Brief:
- A majority of HR professionals surveyed by workspace provider IWG said they believe that hybrid work is an effective recruiting tool, as well as a positive influence on retention and employee satisfaction, according to data provided to HR Dive in an email.
- Specifically, respondents said that hybrid work can address key causes of turnover, with 55% stating that their organizations used hybrid to help workers with child care concerns and 47% using it to address both work-life balance and mental health issues. Sixty-nine percent of HR professionals said that employees have used time that would otherwise have been spent commuting to the office on caregiving responsibilities.
- In-person work still held value for most respondents, IWG said. Nearly all respondents said there was a direct correlation between productivity, wellness and the number of days employees spend in an office, although only 13% said they believed that employees should spend five days per week in an office.
Dive Insight:
IWG’s findings are far from universal; stakeholders inside and outside of HR have diverged on whether remote or hybrid work are good frameworks for their organizations.
Culture, in particular, has been a challenge for employers as they adjust to the post-pandemic reality afforded by flexible work options. These options are also made possible in part by technologies to which some organizations or individuals may lack access. Even the work-life balance gains of hybrid and remote work — as highlighted by IWG and others — may not be realized, especially when employees need to adjust their work days to account for at-home interruptions and other distractions.
Still, research also bears out the benefits of flexible work. A September meQuilibrium survey found that hybrid and remote workers may experience higher levels of psychological safety than their on-site counterparts. Employers, meanwhile, may view flexibility as a way to create a level of trust between themselves and their employees.
Managers can play a key role in ensuring the success of a transition to hybrid or remote work, sources previously told HR Dive, although not all jobs lend themselves well to such formats. Leaders can help hybrid employees through struggles by focusing on output, goal setting and making time for one-on-one interactions when possible.
