Working from home has certainly been a big adjustment for many companies in our industry. Dealing with the pandemic and learning how to adapt to all the changes has been an ongoing process. However, while most employees and job seekers say that the flexibility to work from home is very important to them, many employers can find it challenging to get workers back in the office.
Remote work is the new normal yet it remains an issue for employers who are resisting this change due to fears that workers might not be as productive at home. However, no matter where you stand on the issue, work from home is here to stay (see our blog post on the top recruiting/hiring trends for 2020).
So how do employers decide what to do next? Is work from home (long term) viable? Recently, the results of a PWC study on remote work were published that addresses these issues. We think you will find the results surprising.
THE SURVEY SAYS
- 83% of employers now say the shift to remote work has been successful for their company, compared to 73% in the June 2020 survey
- Even though these numbers reflect a great shift in mentality for one year, 29% of executives still believe that their teams should be in the office at least 3 days a week to build upon a strong work culture.
- Over half of executives surveyed said average employee productivity has improved vs. 44% who said the same in June.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
The pandemic has shifted the thinking of people working from home dramatically and we certainly see that as recruiters. We see a “hybrid model” taking shape which is a combination of work in the office and work at home. Things to consider:
- If you are trying to get your employees to come back and work out of the office and your competition is still giving employees the option for remote work, what does that mean for your company?
- Would this potential conflict make your employees restless and cause them to leave for the competitor that is offering this flexibility?
- Companies need to adapt to the changing times. Do your employees really need to be in the office five days a week?
OUR TAKE
Here at GRN Coastal, we have begun to see that shift in recruitment trends, especially with inside sales positions, purchasing, and technical support. These same positions that had to be in the office five days a week have now migrated to remote work opportunities.
We agree with PWC’s findings. We think that executives will need to rethink remote work because your employees will have this option from more progressive market leaders. The more flexible companies are with allowing employees to work from home, the better their chances are at landing top talent and retaining their best and brightest. The work from home trend is here and will continue to become a part of a hybrid work culture that features a combination of office time and remote time.
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