Research from HR support firm Ellis Whittam has found employers remain divided on their expectations for staff to return to the office. The company says 33 per cent expect their employees that previously worked full time in the workplace to return every day post-pandemic. At the same time, only 14 per cent will offer complete flexibility.
The research, conducted with 448 organisations by the employment law and HR support firm also identified that most businesses adopting a hybrid model expect employees to work from home an average of two days per week. Tuesday, closely followed by Wednesday, is identified as the day most people want to come into the workplace. However, 33 per cent of employers who are planning hybrid working haven’t consulted their staff to find out when they would prefer to come in.
When asked what they foresee as the biggest business disruptor over the next few months, absence (for example, from employees contracting COVID, post-travel quarantine and other forms of self-isolation) is the greatest worry, concerning 37 per cent of employers. More than a quarter (27 per cent) are currently most concerned about planning a return to the workplace which keeps everyone happy. However, very few employers (just four per cent) are worried about employee disputes – for example, addressing safety concerns, refusals to work, or refusals to continue to follow COVID safety measures.
“Our findings prove the post-pandemic world of work will be far from one size fits all,” said James Tamm, director of legal services at Ellis Whittam. “The disparity between fully office-based and hybrid working policies will create very different company cultures and operational challenges. While it’s too early for most to say what form of working is their best long-term bet, employers must at this point ensure regular dialogue with their employees. Engaging your teams in your planning process will help to ensure potential issues and grievances are identified early on.”
When it comes to whether employers will implement productivity measurements to understand performance at home versus performance in the workplace, it’s a story of two halves. 50 per cent of employers don’t feel they need to measure productivity, demonstrating they are less concerned about where people work from.
The research also found that around a third (31 per cent) of businesses that are planning on bringing staff back into the workplace are still working this out. In contrast, 29 per cent of businesses said everyone is already back. Just 10 per cent said they won’t be bringing all staff back into the workplace in any capacity.
James Tamm added: “Despite the lifting of restrictions, we still live and work with the risk and uncertainty posed by COVID-19. What employers can do is prepare their workforce for the ways of working expected to best suit their organisation going forward. All businesses considering making hybrid working part of their normal working pattern must act now.”
James’s top five tips to ensure the smooth introduction of hybrid working are:
1. Document any contract changes and be specific how often you expect your employee(s) to attend the office.
2. Check your policies are fit for purpose – for example absence, appraisal, disciplinary or performance management policies.
3. Review confidentiality and data protection – revisit your data policy and consider doing a data impact assessment for hybrid working.
4. Consider implementing a trial period if you are not sure how successful the arrangement will be. The Flexible Working Procedure requires an employer to tell employees their decision within three months.
5. Seek agreement before introducing a company-wide approach and remember that your decisions mustn’t discriminate, for example toward female employees who request hybrid working because they are primary carers for their children or elderly parents. If you want to impose hybrid working via a contractual change, you will likely need to seek agreement with your employees. For many organisations, hybrid working is a largely untested area, and there are many practical, legal and HR implications to consider, so take legal advice where needed.
