Flexibility between remote working and office is key – expert advises employers

Employers who want to avoid mass skills drainage need to adopt flexible policies when it comes to remote working vs going back to the office in the post-Covid era.

American management professor Anthony Klotz first coined the term the “Great Resignation” back in May last year after a record 4 million Americans quit their jobs in April 2021.

But the phenomenon is not limited to the States, mass resignations are now being seen around the world and it’s showing no signs of abating (in fact, the US saw another 4.5 million resignations in November 2021).

Covid-19 has made people re-evaluate the balance between work and personal lives

“How we spent our time before the pandemic may not be how we want to spend our time after,” said Klotz.

HuffPost founder Arianna Huffington said: “In quitting their jobs, people are affirming their longing for a different way of working and living.”

It’s a response to the pressures of commuting, work/life balance, stress and burnout. Put simply, many people would rather resign than return to the office on a full-time basis.

But is remote work all it’s cracked up to be?

Well, it depends on who you ask. Those who have established their careers are able to work comfortably from home (complete with a private space and the necessary WFH tech), enjoy the flexibility and freedom to work anywhere, and are able to travel when they can.

This group will probably give remote working an enthusiastic thumbs up.

But it’s not so rosy for new graduates, who have just entered the workforce and need mentoring.

For newer recruits, remote working is lonely so there’s no doubt that an office environment offers up more scope for interaction, learning and networking.

KPMG’s head of global mobility services Marc Burrows, (whose latest report gives long-term remote working a thumbs down) says that while remote working has been very functional, there are elements that are missing.

“Most importantly, it’s the ability to grow and nurture a culture of creativity, new ideas, interaction and diversity of thinking,” said Burrows.

General manager of Corporate Traveller Oz Desai said these shortcomings were highlighted by the pandemic’s impact on corporate travel.

“Predictably, as corporates grapple with issues around border closures, quarantine regulations, the duty of care and what constitutes essential travel, business travel is taking longer to recover than leisure travel,” said Desai.

“And it’s having a very real effect on the growth, success and culture of organisations around the world.”

Desai believes that while, in principle, both employers and employees want to explore and embrace the flexibility of remote working, cracks are beginning to show.

“Remote workers quickly discovered that the boundaries between work life and home life were blurred during the lockdown. It’s led to burnout – and this burnout is also contributing to the Great Resignation,” said Desai.

Another problem according to a Hubstaff Blog, remote workers are more likely to look at work from home jobs as stepping stones or waypoints – and feel no guilt about moving on to new opportunities.

“This might be because remote staff may not feel as deep a connection (or have stronger roots) as their office-bound counterparts – missing the camaraderie, culture, office friendships and mentoring opportunities of days gone by.”

The Great Upgrade

“Interestingly, the Great Resignation has also been referred to as the ‘Great Upgrade’. People are examining how they want to work and how they see their career path unfolding,” said Desai.

“They are hoping to create their ideal position – with plenty of scope for personal growth, balance and travel,” he added.

For Desai, the biggest issue facing companies in 2022, alongside vaccine mandates and work from home policies, is the retention of talent.

“Business travel has always been a perk. It’s no different today. Younger generations want to travel and obtain international work as a part of their careers.”

Companies looking to attract the right talent will need increasingly progressive policies around hybrid work, working holidays and digital nomadism.

Moving Forward

Desai believes that the 2022 working environment will look very different to the lockdown work from home scenario we’ve all been accustomed to.

“Although people like the idea of working from home, we can expect a strong move back to the office – perhaps balancing remote work with a couple of days spent in the office for those positions that can accommodate it,” he said.

“Flexibility is now at the top of the agenda.”

Business travel will also look very different because the sector’s recovery has been slow.

But according to the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), global business travel spending is set to surge in 2022, with spending ultimately reaching 2019 levels by 2024 – a full year earlier than previously predicted.

“As it recovers you can expect changes too, think longer more meaningful trips, long-stay visas, built-in leisure opportunities for shorter trips, team-building getaways and the like,” said Desai

“This year business travel will be all about reconnection, collaboration – and reimagining a person’s role, growth and career opportunities.”

Compiled by Narissa Subramoney