Employees spend more of their workday on mentorship, training and professional development when they’re on site, according to a April 5 report from WFH Research, a group of economists who have analyzed work-from-home arrangements before and during the pandemic.
As hybrid workplace policies continue, the researchers suggested employers may consider highlighting the opportunities for mentoring and learning when workers are in the office.
“Employers should choose two or three ‘anchor’ days a week that all employees come into the office — typically between Tuesday and Thursday because Monday and Friday are the most popular work-from-home days,” Nicholas Bloom, a professor of economics at Stanford University, and WFH Research colleagues wrote in the Harvard Business Review earlier this year.
“These in-office days should include the bulk of meetings, group activities, trainings and lunches so that employees see the value of coming together,” they wrote.
The group’s March 2023 Survey of Working Arrangements and Attitudes found that the pandemic permanently increased work-from-home arrangements, equivalent to about 40 years of pre-pandemic growth. Hybrid policies appear to be more prevalent than fully remote options, which could present the opportunity for creating value during in-office days.
For instance, based on responses from more than 2,400 participants, employees who come into work spend nearly 14 minutes of their working day receiving mentorship, as compared with 10 minutes among those who work from home. In addition, those who come into work spend more than 28 minutes mentoring others, as compared with 20 minutes among those who work from home.
In terms of formal training, employees who came into work averaged about 18 minutes per day, as compared with about 14 minutes among those who work from home. In addition, employees in the workplace said they spent 29 minutes on professional development and learning, as compared with a little under 27 minutes for those who worked from home.
As those minutes add up over time, the disparities may be seen in employee engagement and retention — factors tied to L&D, according to various research.
As the research on remote and hybrid work continues, employers also may need to consider other factors when adapting arrangements, such as ongoing changes in employee needs and desires, particularly regarding schedule flexibility.
