Employers and employees have engage in an ongoing power struggle on return-to-office policies by 2022, with research showing that American hybrid workers come to the office more than one day a week in the first half of the year.
But now that the year is coming to an end and economic uncertainty threatens the job market, workers are changing their combined work habits. According to workplace technology expert Robin’s Combined Workplace Report Q3 2022Office attendance is on the rise.
The reason for this increase? According to Robin, employee work habits change with the seasons — and may encourage employers to adjust office policies according to the time of year.
by Robin research is based on aggregated data of over 2.5 million customer bookings. It found that the number of people going to the office varied in a seasonal cycle of declines during winter break, early summer, and again at the end of summer, correlating with the length of the summer break and major holidays.
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Employees are less likely to visit the office in the summer, when only 24% of office space is occupied. They go to the office a little more in October (27%), then more often in early November (32%), before office usage drops to near zero before Thanksgiving and Christmas. winter break. Robin’s data indicates that the office attendance rate was 10% in Q3 compared to Q2.
Robin co-founder Zach Dunn argues that employers should use seasonal commute trends to inform combined work policies.
According to Dunn, current combined return-to-office policies follow a weekly schedule that doesn’t match the employee’s in-office schedule. He told ZDNET that businesses go through busy seasons that require more collaborative efforts among employees, which is when employees tend to be in the office more often.
“Businesses have busy seasons, there are futures [work] make them more visible when more people show up in person to do the collaborative work around it,” Dunn said.
The slower office seasons provide a good opportunity for leaders to review their workplace strategies, which can ensure minimal disruption for employees while also not forcing them to come to the office. in an inefficient or inconvenient time for them.
“In a hybrid team, you are more likely to prioritize working in the office when others can do the same and when it supports the work you have to do,” says Dunn.
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Europeans appear to be the biggest office users, with Robin data reporting peak office usage of 30% in Q3. They are also in the office slightly more often than their peers. USA, an average of 5.5 days a month compared to 4.9 days.
By Q1 2023, office attendance is expected to increase to 33%. But before employees return to work on the eve of the new year, Robin suggested employers improve their combined work policies for the new year.
From 2023 onward, leaders should focus on creating an office environment that encourages collaboration, creativity, and strengthens employee relationships, says Robin. This includes taking “a flexible approach to hybrid work” considering types of spaces and facilities that workers need to make the most of their time at the office and at home. As a result, employers should “consider altering the space to accommodate an activity-based layout,” says Robin.
The way we work is constantly changing and you should continue to embrace changes in office policy. As reports continue to demonstrate, companies are stuck in their ways and refuse to respond to workers’ demands. risk losing the best talent.
