We have come along way since the Covid-19 pandemic. There is a clear argument that Covid actually accelerated remote working by several years but only for certain jobs; key workers come immediately to mind where in the main it is not possible to work remotely.
I believe it is all about balance.
Organisations have expensive real estate or rented properties to utilise. Many have spent fortunes on repurposing these to be more collaborative workspaces such as social meetings and team gatherings. Meeting colleagues face-to-face is still arguably more powerful than meeting online; do you get to know the person online? I would say no. Working remotely loses those water cooler moments that help colleagues to better understand each other, share ideas and organisation learnings. Data protection is likely to be more robust.
So many colleagues have joined and left, never actually met them physically. That is sad in my opinion. Would water cooler moments have helped them integrate? It loses the social and mental wellbeing aspect of being employees.
On the counter side, employees have adapted quickly. They have used savings from travel, helping counter the cost-of-living increase (and travel time), while being able to better manage personal lives/working time. In particular, for employees with disabilities it has allowed working from the comfort of their home without worrying about inadequate workplace adjustments. All these factors will have an effect on employee’s contribution, worth and wellbeing.
Don’t forget custom and practice. If employers want employees to return to the workplace full time they need to have done so sooner rather than later. Communication and mitigation are key. There may also be agreements between unions and staff bodies to consider.
In summary, it is about a sensible balance to make things employer/employee beneficial and to help the business, which is why jobs exist.
Ricardo D’Ash is group reward manager at City and Guilds