Going into the office and spending most of your day on zoom is as frustrating as it is pointless. The problem is exacerbated when the office days are mandated.
Both companies and staff are struggling to find the balance between home and office working.
The hybrid working problem is complex as needs vary by type of work, age and even gender. A firm policy that is majority office based might work perfectly for those early in their careers but might antagonize others with more experience. But bespoke arrangements for individuals or teams can cause inequity and bad feelings across larger groups.
The challenge is to find a point between push and pull strategies of work location. The onus is on companies to make the office somewhere people want to go rather than required to show face.
Equally employees may need to go beyond the comfort zone of home. Just because it is easier to work from home doesn’t mean that it is always right.
Working exclusively from home can be like operating in black and white, you lose the colour of social interactions. But how do we measure the loss of things we don’t experience? There is no KPI for connection with colleagues. We can’t identify the moments of serendipity, shared jokes and camaraderie that are missed by being at home.
Employers need to facilitate in-person opportunities through community office days, training, real life meetings and most importantly social activities. By enabling employees to share meaningful experiences together it can strengthen the collective bonds and consequentially morale both at home and in work.
