As the summer draws to a close it’s time to get back to work, welcome in the return to routine. But what does getting back to work look like around the world? Let’s take a look…
Return to office mandates
After everything seemed to suggest that the world was going to go fully hybrid, it seems some of the big hitters in the corporate world are performing a U-turn and demanding at least a few days in the office. Not only have large corporations like Amazon, Citigroup and Unilever brought in return to work mandates but even the tech giants that provided very tools that kept the world working over the pandemic have decided that the office is the place to be.
Statistics show that Asian countries have lower levels of remote work than Europe and North America. Those with the highest levels are Britain, Canada and the United States. Unions and other worker associations have played a significant role in shaping return-to-office policies in parts of Europe.
In the UK at least hybrid working seems to have taken hold, with workers spending 1.6 days in the office, which is drastically lower than the pre-pandemic levels of 3.8 days in the office per week. According to a survey by the CIPD, employees with a mixture of formal and informal flexible working arrangements are more satisfied with their job overall, their line manager and opportunities to progress.
The barriers to hybrid working
It’s not always easy for employees to work from home. If you’re a younger worker you may live in a shared house where space is a premium and you may not be able to accommodate multiple people working at home. This is especially an issue in big cities where living accommodations may be more constricted and apartment sizes are smaller.
Equally a member of staff with a young family may find they have too many distractions to make working at home work – although the reduction in commuting time can be appealing as it means people can be more involved in family life.
Time will tell how the working world unfolds
So there you have it! It will be interesting to see how the world of hybrid working develops, especially as economic uncertainty continues. Will the option to work remotely be as important to employees as it has been in recent years, or will the lack of human connectivity drive people back into the office environment?