Ever since the dreaded lockdown in 2020, the way we work has changed. Hybrid working has become the norm and coworking and hot desking have increased tenfold.  After a very long two years, things are starting to return to normal. However, studies are showing that workers may not want to go back to the way things were. According to a study by Slack, only 12% of employees want to return to full-time office work. So how are employers meant to work around this?

Many companies are trying 3 days in, 2 days set-ups

Since coming back into the office, companies have had to decide how many days a week they’ll ask employees to be in the office. Those who are embracing hybrid work have made many different moves, some requiring as little as one day in the office, while others are working for four or five.

Many companies have tried policies bringing people back three days a week with two remote days, or two office days and three remote days. Google was among the high-profile companies that embraced the 3-2 model in the early days. Although some employees were happy to spend two or three days in the office, those who struggled in the pandemic with loneliness or mental health (or even just not like working from home) may not find this set-up works for them.

Hybrid working

There is no one-size-fits-all model across a business.

There are some lines of work where hybrid working is not an option (the hospitality industry, for example), however, some companies are turning positions that used to have an in-officer component entirely remote. This means that hybrid rollouts are often uneven, even within a single company.

That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In some cases, these situations mean companies are creating personal accommodations for their workers, letting them enjoy the flexibility they’ve had over the past two years – which has been a key desire for employees.

For some people, hybrid work provides a much-needed emotional boost. Employees who haven’t had much human interaction are finding themselves recharged when they get to see colleagues they have not seen in months. This especially is the case for younger employees, who have seen their mental well-being decline while working in isolation. Hybrid is a welcome change for new workers who have never met their colleagues like many members of Gen Z. Unfortunately; this isn’t the case for everyone. Some find hybrid work emotionally exhausting, struggling with switching back and forth between two types of schedules and environments.

Many of these discrepancies relate to worker’s personal life as well as their personalities, so it can be especially difficult for companies to create policies that are perfect for every worker.

The bottom line

The bottom line is, that however you and your company want to work; we’ll be here to create a space perfect for you. Serviced offices for those who want to spend more time surrounded by their colleagues, breakout spaces to explore new ideas, coworking spaces for those who aren’t quite sure what they prefer, and even virtual offices, for those who simply prefer to work remotely. W_rkspace has a solution to fit any type of business, no matter how remote. Email us at enquiries@wrkspace.co.uk or call us on 0333 3448005.