While the pandemic is still not officially over, we are seeing the first signs of the return to the worksite. This is not going to be a simple process due to the many changes employees have experienced. The assistance of sound HR consulting can help develop appropriate flexible working arrangements.
There is a different mentality now that they have experienced remote work and the return to an office space needs optimization. The good news is that this is giving many business owners a perfect opportunity to start fresh.
Remote work changed the way employees perceive work
Given that we have seen a fair share of changes due to remote work, this gave many employees a taste of a more balanced way to work. It is very different to work at home and to be able to save the time most employees had to spend commuting to the office.
In some cases, this translated to no less than an hour or two hours a day of commuting. This is the case on average when you consider the ride to the office and the ride back home. Not to mention any setbacks along the way.
On average, an employee would now have an extra couple of hours to spend how they wanted. Be it with family, friends, or even with a hobby they no longer had time to enjoy. The point is that remote work gave people more freedom and more balance without a doubt.
The goal is to improve work/life balance for all employees
Now, the question for many business owners is how to ensure that this balanced is not lost. They need to figure out how to keep employees from having to lose that newly found balance they experienced for the last couple of years.
A good way to do this is to introduce a hybrid work model. Many companies worldwide already implemented this, and it consists of 3 days per week onsite. The employee is able to work remotely the remaining two days of the work week.
This is a very important consideration because it will allow employees to retain some of that freedom. This gives them 4 days of the week with a more flexible approach. Two of those days are completely free of work (Saturday and Sunday) in most cases.
Other considerations for a good return to the worksite include:
• More benefits for employees that have achieved longevity with the business
• Stronger communication and feedback from both sides
• More initiatives that help increase the well-being of employees
• Flexibility in terms of work hours onsite and remotely
Remote work is very effective
It is important to note that remote work has been a very positive change for many companies. They have not only saved on expenses, but they have also seen a boost in productivity. What this means is that there are many positive aspects to remote work. Business owners need to consider this and that is the reason why hybrid work models are now in place.
Some important statistics on remote work:
• At least 30% of employees surveyed in several business ventures have seen a rise in their productivity by working remotely.
• 100% of surveyed employees have claimed to be just as productive at home as they would be in the office.
• Over 30% of surveyed employees mentioned that they would quit their job if they had to go back to working onsite.
Final thoughts
There is much to say about the way that the modern world works and how companies should change their workplace environment. The remote phenomenon is not something to brush off or forget. It is the foundation of a work/life balance work environment. At HR Expertise, our HR consulting solutions provide assistance with flexible working arrangements. Contact us today, we would love to work with you.