Gallup: Hybrid work's benefits 'substantially outweigh' its challenges
Ryan Golden Senior Reporter
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Most hybrid workers said they have experienced improved work-life balance, more efficient use of their time and a freedom to choose when and where they work, according to a survey of more than 8,000 remote-capable employees by Gallup, but more than one-third believe hybrid work provides less access to resources and equipment.
Gallup found that 60% of respondents traveled to the office in order to meet or collaborate with colleagues, while 40% met with managers or supervisors. While remote, 86% of hybrid workers said they used their time to work independently, with smaller shares stating that they engaged in training or product development.
The results show management teams should approach in-person intentionally, Gallup said, including by encouraging workers to spend time with teammates and network with colleagues while on site. "Notably, the top challenges of hybrid work are far less prevalent than the top advantages," researchers noted. "This indicates that the greatest advantages of hybrid work substantially outweigh the biggest challenges."
For all the cultural back-and-forth on remote work's merits, recent data appear to indicate that employers have more or less accepted its place in the future of work.
Robert Half survey results published in July showed that 66% of employees felt their managers cared more about their contributions than where and when they completed work. Meanwhile, a Foundry survey of business leaders found that most agreed hybrid or remote work was a "permanent solution" for their organizations.
That is not to say that remote and hybrid work don't present their share of ongoing challenges. Along these lines, culture has been the most obvious talking point. HR Dive's recent Identity of HR survey found that culture was the most common flexible work pain point for surveyed professionals, followed by hiring, technology and budgetary concerns.
Like the researchers in the Gallup survey, sources who previously spoke to HR Dive highlighted intentionality as key to cultural efforts in the hybrid and remote work era. This may take the form of less formal in-person events where work may not be the primary focus.
On the remote side of things, employers may still need to revisit policies around resources and technology to address what may be one of the more obvious downsides of flexible work. HR will be tasked with ensuring all workers' needs are seen and heard, a speaker at the Society for Human Resource Management's 2022 annual conference told attendees.
The amount of interdepartmental coordination each of these tasks is likely to involve may be all the more reason for the appointment of a point person that can lead a flexible work transformation — such as a chief hybrid work officer.
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