Why Companies Are Going Back On Their Hybrid Work Policies And Forcing Workers Back In Office
Employers are looking to return to the classic in-office leadership style and in-person interaction due to their beliefs that it is better for overall productivity.
All good things must come to an end and unfortunately for many, the teleworking that began during the pandemic may soon be a thing of the past. Most companies turned to at-home or hybrid work during the height of Covid-19, allowing employees to work from home on some or all days of the week. Now that life is returning to normal, companies are cutting out workplace flexibility and requiring employees to return to the office.
“As you’ve heard me say many times, creativity is the heart and soul of who we are and what we do at Disney,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger in a January memo to employees. “And in a creative business like ours, nothing can replace the ability to connect, observe and create with peers that comes from being physically together, nor the opportunity to grow professionally by learning from leaders and mentors.” Starbucks, JPMorgan, and Twitter are other companies that recently announced return-to-office mandates and an end to hybrid work schedules.
The job recruitment agency Monster published a Work Watch Report that included the results of a survey they did last fall. They polled U.S. workers and human resources professionals to learn their opinions on teleworking or hybrid work schedules. Nearly half of the workers polled said they expect more flexibility now in when and where they work, and 26 percent said they would rather get a root canal than work in the office five days a week.
As for employers and HR professionals, 50 percent said that providing flexible hybrid work schedules has worked well and 53 percent say it helps them retain talent. However, 35 percent of them now want workers back in the office full-time and 33 percent say they have changed their minds about adopting a virtual/hybrid work model. Around 20 percent of responders are fans of traditional work schedules who believe working from home is bad for productivity.
Prior to the pandemic, teleworking or hybrid work schedules were practically unheard of for full-time employees. But during the three years that they were allowed flexibility, many employees discovered a better work-life balance that they are reluctant to give up. According to an article on BBC.com, workplace flexibility was virtually equal to salary when workers decided whether to take or stay in a job.
Now that layoffs have resulted in a larger pool of people looking for work, the power has swung back to employers. Most executives want their staff in the office and can refuse to hire employees who expect hybrid work conditions. “Should an employee dislike a new work arrangement, layoffs across the board mean they’ll likely be much less confident that another role is waiting for them,” said Charley Cooper, the chief communications officer at New York-based enterprise technology provider and blockchain software company, R3.
Employers cite various reasons for moving away from the hybrid work model. Most center around a desire to maintain the classic in-office leadership style paired with a preference for in-person interaction. Though many work teams grew accustomed to Zoom meetings during the pandemic, the flaws in video conferencing became apparent.
According to The Conversation, virtual meetings are exhausting because they increase our cognitive load more than in-person meetings. Our brains have to work harder to pick up the natural non-verbal communication we notice when speaking face to face, and looking at our own faces while communicating is also stressful. At-home or hybrid work environments also eliminate the daily casual interactions that are vital for connecting with our coworkers.
Some experts think there’s another reason for executives mandating a return to the classic 9-to-5 in-office work model. Wendy Hamilton, CEO of Michigan-based TechSmith Corporation, suspects that some employers are using it as a method of covert downsizing. When workers with remote or hybrid work schedules demand to keep their flexibility, managers have a reason to fire them—without hiring a replacement.
