Remote Working and Returning to the Office

I have spent the first few weeks of 2021 reconnecting with line managers and job seekers. A lot are curious about what different businesses are implementing with their ‘return to work in the office’ policy.
Of particular interest has been the ‘working from home (WFH) effect’ on more junior or less experienced employees and the impact on their skill development.

A survey conducted by Nintex , a workflow and management automation company, said 80% of executives & C-suites employees say working remotely has been better compared with only 53% of junior employees. PwC also conducted a survey which showed 34% of workers aged 18-24 prefer working remotely one day a week or less compared with only 20% of all other respondents.

With less experienced staff missing out on valuable networking and mentorship opportunities while working remotely, there are suggestions that they may prefer working in their offices in the future. Despite technology being integral in their lives, they still need support, hands-on coaching, social interaction and in person contact when receiving critical feedback.

Also, of consideration is the promotion of existing staff into new roles. With additional responsibilities, they need support in the transition, which is more difficult if they are working remotely (or if their mentor is). In-person onboarding of new staff is another critical consideration for businesses. Do they only get to see their manager or mentor? Do they get to build effective relationships? Employers globally are considering if they have the right structures in place to ensure productivity, staff development and work/life balance.

 What is your business or team doing? Is it one structure for all?