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Hybrid Work Environment: Attitudes
Some of the top employees’ concerns as they return to work include job security, workload, privacy of their health information, and the desire to continue working remotely. Employers are concerned about employees’ emotional stress and well-being, liabilities from lawsuits, and waning loyalty and engagement among employees.
- Employees are returning to work amid various concerns and fears that seem to be never-ending. One of the primary concerns among employees is job security. The high number of job cuts in organizations has instilled fear among employees as they return to work.
- Many workers are confused about whether they should return to their current job or start searching for a new engagement. Research by Dr. Brooks Holtoms of Georgetown University and TINYpulse established that 14% of employees are concerned about job loss.
- Another top concern for employees as they return to work is the workload. The lockdown situation prompted many organizations to cease operations leading to an accumulation of pending work.
- Many employees are anxious about the pressure of completing the huge number of pending tasks, especially because they might be forced to work overtime.
- Employers are also concerned about liabilities that could come with returning to work. A Congress report found that 71% of in-house respondents are concerned about probable lawsuits after reopening. The expected lawsuits could include absence entitlement, workers’ compensation, and unsafe working conditions.
- Employees are concerned about their privacy and the overall impact of tracking their health. As a way of containing the spread of COVID-19, companies in the US are conducting temperature checks and reporting regularly about incidences of the diseases.
- Such checks and reporting have created concerns among 37% of employees as shown by a survey by Envoy. The respondents observed that they would consider quitting if their employer requested for or shared their heath data.
- A survey by McKinsey established that US employees who had shifted to work remotely would want to maintain the remote work flexibility as they return to work. The respondents believed that remote working has numerous positive impacts on their daily work, are more engaged, and have a sturdier sense of welfare. As employees return to work, 25-30% of the workforce will still work remotely by the end of 2021.
- Employers are concerned about emotional stress and well-being among employees as they return to work. Many employers expect to note changes in productivity and performance, absenteeism, anger and irritability, and changes in routines among employees.
- Thus, organizations are working to support their employees who may be anxious about returning to work safely or struggling to return to work amid childcare challenges.
- Some employers are concerned that adopting a hybrid work environment will affect their employees’ engagement and loyalty. Particularly, such employers believe that allowing employees to work remotely will affect the organization’s’ ability to compete globally.
- Compared to other countries, 22% of US executives have prioritized returning workers to the office.