2020 was certainly a momentous year for businesses, and almost twelve months on the repercussions are still unfolding. One of the biggest changes has been the move to working from home, creating a seismic shift in workplace culture and structure. After a lot of pain and technological challenges, most businesses have now adopted this model and employees are accustomed to Zoom meetings, barking dogs and working in trackies.

The recent relaxation of COVID restrictions, however, has meant that many businesses now have the choice between employees working from home or from the office. Which opens up Pandora’s box – what model suits your business and your employees best?

We recently posed the question to our network, with respondents asked to nominate their preference between full-time WFH, full-time in the office or a hybrid model combining both. Perhaps not surprisingly the results were very clear-cut – 85% preferring the hybrid model, 13% wanting to work from home full-time and just 3% nominating working in the office full-time.

Of course, each business has its own individual needs but here are some thoughts to keep in mind:

Can you force an employee to return to the office?

It all comes down to whether it is a “reasonable” request. To be deemed reasonable, firstly the office must be completely COVID-safe, following all Government guidelines and socially distancing with limits on gatherings.

You’ll then need to consider the individual circumstances of each employee – for example if an employee is medically vulnerable it may not be reasonable for them to be working from the office.

Companies need to be very clear that their request is “reasonable” and fair to employees before mandating return-to-work.

Should you force an employee to return to the office?

Putting aside legal considerations, is it a good decision to insist that people come into the office?

In most cases, the answer would be an emphatic “no”. Many employees have relished the work/life flexibility that working-from-home has generated, and appreciated the chance to avoid the daily commute and spend more time with family. There's also been a level of goodwill and trust between employee/employers as teams quickly adjusted to remote working conditions. 

To force a return to the office could run a risk of disincentivising and create an impact on productivity, but also even prompt employees to look at other companies who are offering this flexibility. SCC Talent is aware of at least two cases where employees have left roles based on a forced return to the office full-time.

What should companies do next?

The changing nature of the workplace towards flexible and hybrid arrangements throws up some critical questions for leaders including:

-       How do you nurture young staff members who benefit greatly from shadowing and observing senior team members?

-       How do you maintain a strong sense of culture?

-       How do you monitor productivity?

-       How do you inspire collaborative creativity through spontaneous interactions?

The next year will no doubt involve a level of experimentation, creativity and a “test and learn” mentality in order to find the best working model for each business.

If a company does choose to ask employees to return to the office, whether it be full-time or part-time, the office needs to be COVID-safe and policies put in place to protect worker’s health. If possible, parking, or bike spots for employees should be considered so workers can avoid public transport.

If employees are being asked to work from home, ensure technology works seamlessly, remote environments are safe and healthy and there are clear policies in place as to expectations. Note under Work Health & Safety laws, companies do have a duty of care for all workers, even remote.

Most importantly companies need to develop robust, creative ways of maintaining their unique work culture wherever employees are working. There needs to be fun, engaging tools and habits in place to ensure employees continue to feel connected and valued.

There’s much work to be done, however there is a huge opportunity to co-create a workplace and engage your staff, experiment and find a model works for all.

Resources:

You can find specific information at Safework Australia - COVID-19 – Public health directions and COVIDSafe plans | Safe Work Australia