However, with vaccines rolled out and COVID-19 cases on the decline, employers around the world are trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube. That’s right, many businesses are now requiring employees to return back to the office indefinitely, despite study after study showing that employees don’t want it, don’t need it, and are willing to quit if they have to. Well, even more surveys have come out that show the future of work is clearly hybrid work, but employers are still dragging their feet when it comes to building out the infrastructure necessary to manage this shift. In the survey, 81% of respondents stated that hybrid work will be the foremost working model within the next two years. 79% of firms believe that employees have been productive while working from home. And a whopping 100% of respondents stated that they believe hybrid work models will help attract young talent. Seems like kind of a no-brainer for any company looking to grow with the changing times, right? Well, employers are still dragging their feet when it comes to actually getting on board. 64% of respondents stated that their organizations prefer on-premises work, despite 84% believing that their employees prefer the hybrid work model. Even worse, 72% of businesses have no detailed strategy for hybrid work, and 76% don’t have the correct Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in place to support hybrid work. Simply put, the disconnect between employees and employers here could have a seriously negative effect on businesses that aren’t prepared to offer hybrid work. In addition to the resources and tools it takes to get the job done, you’ll need to address the cultural shift of your workforce staying at home. After all, productivity is just as important as making your team feel in the loop. All in all, the pandemic was an exercise in protecting your fellow human beings by staying away from each other. However, now that hybrid work has become the norm, staying connected while staying apart is the key to a successful business.
