An executive I work with has ultimate responsibility for a 400-person call center team. In late 2023, the organization mandated that all 400 employees return to the office. Half of the employees quit and went in search of a hybrid option. This situation is a statistical representation of what research tells us.
- 55% of the employees claim that they prefer to work from home for at least three days per week, according to a study conducted by Pew Research.
- The Remote Work and Compensation Pulse Survey says 48% of employees prefer to work remotely permanently, whereas 44% want a hybrid working model.
- According to a recent Gartner report, The State of Hybrid Work in 2024, 80% of companies have adopted hybrid work models. A notable portion of employees prefer these hybrid schedules. Many of them would sacrifice other work benefits to keep them long-term.
- According to the Forbes Scoop 2024 Flex Report, more organizations will realize the benefits of offering flexibility – including increased productivity, increased employee engagement, and the ability to attract top talent. By the end of 2024, more than two-thirds of U.S. companies will adopt flexible and remote work options.
Why do employees want a hybrid work opportunity?
It is critically important to understand what matters to your employee. While you are interested in their productivity, they are interested in their fulfillment. Fortunately for you, the ability to perform excellent work contributes to employee fulfillment, along with their environment. So, why does a hybrid work opportunity matter so much to employees? Below is a partial list of reasons:
- A blend of less-interrupted work time at home supported by collaboration during work-from-office days.
- Stress related to juggling childcare and coordinating school drop offs and pickups is reduced.
- A flexible working model – one that takes the needs and preferences of employees into consideration – improves mental health.
- Commuting time is reduced.
- Employees who prefer solitude for enhanced creativity, reflection, and uninterrupted flow of thought experience the satisfaction of greater productivity.
The long-standing question that remains for leaders is “How do I successfully embrace the flexibility and work-related preferences my team members are looking for while maintaining the productivity I am responsible for?”
The simple question is, “How do I provide effective leadership?” Effective leadership balances accountability for results with the care and concern of people. Care and concern of people involves acknowledgment of the preferences of these people.
Here are some suggestions:
- Make sure you have specifically asked each one of your employees what their preferences are related to working in the office and working from home.
- To the best of your ability, acknowledge and honor these preferences.
- Understandably, situations will exist in which preferences cannot be fully honored, and some in which preferences simply cannot be honored at all. In these situations, it is important to acknowledge and demonstrate empathy. “I understand this is important to you.” (pause) “I’m sorry that I (and the company) am not able to accommodate your preference.” In this situation, we are not making their situation better, but also by choice of words, we are not making it worse. For most employees, a feeling of being dismissed or of having preferences disregarded further exacerbates dissatisfaction.
- Work in collaboration with your employees to establish clear expectations and boundaries around a flexible work arrangement. For example, what are the core hours in which the employee needs to be working and accessible (assuming before and after hours work is part of a flexible arrangement), in what way will you communicate in real time, how often will you meet to ensure work is on track, priorities are agreed upon, and the employee is supported?
- Prioritize the mental health and well-being of your employees by establishing a mindset of support and understanding as employees navigate the intersection of their professional and personal lives.
Leading a hybrid workforce involves a blend of understanding and acceptance of this evolving work reality, flexibility in honoring the needs and preferences of the employees, a clear structure for communication, and genuine care of your employees.
