American Express is an example of an organization that has adopted a fixed hybrid work model. It seems the legal profession, like virtually every other office culture, has a nearly endless appetite for discussing the pros and cons of working from home. We are still debating whether remote work kills morale or improves quality of life, hurts productivity or enables greater focus, or whether it causes employee turnover or is part of a smart retention strategy. Hardly a week goes by without a think-piece on the future of office life or brainstorming how to get employees back in the office. This continued discussion leads to organizations frequently revising their work from home policies and enforcement mechanisms.
Remote working – does it make us more or less productive?
It’s still possible that hybridized knowledge work will become the norm, with work-from-home days provided as a perk. But to get there, office workers must organize, and take the goals and power of the Office into account. If the Office makes concessions, they will be minor, or they will take time; hybrid work is not a revolution. Note that these sections are meant to be examples for general illustrative purposes only, and don’t adhere to any specific legislative or regulatory requirements. In addition to customizing each of these components to meet the unique needs of both your business and your employees, you should also review any compliance requirements relevant to the jurisdictions that your remote workers live in. Consider, for example, how much easier it would have been for companies around the world if they’d had remote work policies in place when the pandemic first hit.
- Overall, the top reasons people want a hybrid work arrangement center on having the flexibility to manage their week while still feeling connected to their organization.
- The fact still remains that women continue to bear the responsibility of the primary caregiver, which means that calls to return to the office can disproportionately impact their career progression.
- Firms often suggest employees work two days a week at home, focusing on individual tasks or small meetings, and three days a week in the office, for larger meetings, training and social events.
- There are a number of benefits for small businesses opting for a remote or hybrid workforce.
- Chris reiterated that younger workers may have an easier time than him maintaining communication virtually, but for him, the face-to-face interactions will help reduce his feelings of isolation.
Schofield is a case in point—the many things she did during her career break included homeschooling two of her four children, as well as taking on projects in her local area that needed her to exercise her consulting muscles. Career returners each have their own unique reasons for stepping back from work and eventually returning. These reasons range from caring for children or others relatives, higher education, health, travel or for simply to catch a break and reset one’s batteries, Women Returners found. All confidential or sensitive data must be handled via secure and approved methods, and any suspected security threats or data breaches must be reported to the IT department immediately. “And folks really seem to like it. We been able to attract new talent from multiple geographies.” That’s certainly what Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co., expected.
