Old habits die hard. In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe, a large portion of employees switched to remote work almost overnight. Four years later, the gradual return to the office faces significant resistance, and companies are still figuring out what the new norm will be.
This is evident among federal employees, who are unhappy with the recent Treasury Board measure requiring them to work from the office three days a week. Or the New York Times employees last October.
However, the trend of prioritizing office work over remote work seems to be gaining momentum. Since last year, tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Google have been asking their employees to return to their desks more regularly. This is quite paradoxical: these companies, which are now the most reluctant to let their staff work entirely remotely, are the very ones that created the tools to make this possible in all sectors, notes Quartz magazine.
According to a survey conducted late last year by Léger among a sample of over 1,000 executives and employees of companies located on the island of Montreal, 87% of workers are back in the office at least once a week. This figure was 29% in June 2021 and has been steadily increasing since (69% in March 2022 and 82% in September 2022).
How high will this ratio go? And what balance will most organizations find?
“The return to the office continues to progress and to reestablish itself in the practices of downtown businesses. Our data confirms the persistence of hybrid work modes in this return process. (…) We believe a balance should eventually emerge around four days of office presence,” suggests Michel Leblanc, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal.
As shown in the above chart, full-time in-person work seems to have plateaued, while hybrid work is now the daily routine for the majority of workers (64% compared to 53% in September 2022). According to Nicholas Bloom, professor of economics at Stanford University, this mode is indeed the future of work:
“Hybrid arrangements balance the benefits of being in the office in person—greater ability to collaborate, innovate, and create a culture—with the advantages of quiet and the absence of commutes that come from working at home.”
Arguments on Both Sides
The issue is explosive, however. According to a survey conducted by Ipsos for Slack France, nearly half of the employees (46%) surveyed reported feeling pressured to return in person, and an equal number said there are disagreements within the organization between proponents of remote work and advocates of in-person work.
For employers, the main issues concern company culture, collaboration, and productivity. According to the Returning for Good report by Unispace Global Workplace Insights, a vast majority of employers (84%) also believe that advancement opportunities are limited for people who work exclusively from home.
On the other hand, according to the same survey, employees indicate that they have more privacy at home (31%), that they are more efficient in a quiet environment outside the office (27%), and that they feel more productive at home (23%). Not to mention the issue of commuting.
Incentives as Triggers
Could the solution be a return to the office… in exchange for incentives? In London, the company Perkbox offers points for on-site presence, which can then be used for discounts on meals or gift certificates for grocery shopping.
According to the CCMM survey, workers favor flexible scheduling or employer contributions to public transportation costs.
A challenge? According to the KPMG 2023 CEO Outlook report, 87% of the 400 US CEOs surveyed are willing to reward their employees who return to the office with new assignments, promotions, and/or raises. The negotiation is just beginning.
Discover our trainings :
training.isarta.com 
