Recent news that some big-name companies are asking their teams to move back to five days in the office might be seen as the beginning of the reversal of one of the most defining workplace trends of recent years.
Remote and hybrid working was an imperative for many businesses during lockdown and has continued as a flexible option for the majority of organisations where staff don’t necessarily need to be in the office or workplace full time.
With the likes of Barclaycard and Google suggesting they may return to a full-time, office-based model, there’s a likelihood other business owners will begin to consider the same move.
HR specialists CE People, however, are warning that employers need to consider carefully what the best options are before they introduce any kind of changes in working practices on their staff.
Claire Butcher and Emma Thompson founded CE People in Northamptonshire last year and specialise in bespoke HR support for businesses, delivering clear and knowledgeable employment law advice and guiding business owners through HR processes.
Emma said: “When large companies start to suggest that they want people back in the office, it sets business owners thinking about their own set up and what they might want to do, but there are a number of important considerations.
“One of the key things to bear in mind is that employees now have ‘day one rights’ and so anyone, from the very start, can put in a request for flexible working. The employer needs to be ready to respond to that. Day one rights mean they need to follow a fair and lawful process and have a valid reason if they are going to refuse the request.
“There’s no one size fits all, so what we would suggest to any business owner is that they begin by thinking about whether or not they want their staff back in the office and why. There are some huge gains from being flexible in terms of employee satisfaction and work-life balance, so decisions should be based on what the business needs.
“Look at whether people working remotely is a benefit or barrier, and what approach helps you get the best out of your workforce. It’s not always about where you work, but how you work.”
The CE People team suggests that business owners take time to set out clear expectations of what is required, and think about the business case for which roles can be done remotely and which can’t. It’s helpful to go through those expectations with a trusted advisor, business partner or HR specialist who will challenge the reasons and give an honest view and maybe a different perspective on what is and isn’t feasible.
Once there is a clear set of guidelines in place, the business owner can then be confident that they have good reasons to agree to remote working, or to refuse a request if it is not in the best interests of the company.
Claire Butcher said: “It’s important to have clear guidelines and to have confidence that your reasoning is fair and correct, because two different employees in two different roles may have to be treated separately. Some roles simply can’t be done remotely, and the employer has every right to insist those employees are in the office. But without a clear plan, there can be confusion about why one request is granted, and another isn’t.
“If you can make a good business case, you can be confident that you’re acting reasonably and fairly. Be clear in your vision and about the reasons why, but at the same time, don’t dismiss the idea of remote working just because you’d just rather things were back to how they used to be.
“Bringing people back into the office for the sake of it can mean you lose, or fail to attract, the best talent. Being collaborative and flexible usually means you get the best from your workforce and that’s what matters in the end.
“Listen to your teams and trust them. People are increasingly being asked to give more and burn-out is a growing problem. The focus is shifting onto work-life balance and wellbeing, and employers must factor in basic needs and what it will take to ensure their workforce is happy and productive.
“And for employers who don’t want their staff working from home because they don’t trust them to be as productive as they would be in the office, I think that shows they have bigger problems they need to deal with. If they do have those concerns, they need to have some difficult conversations and overcome the issues and build trust within the team, and find a way of working that means the business and the people working in it can thrive.”
Find out more about CE People on 01604 805634, email enquiries@ce-people.co.uk or visit our website.
