The federal and state governments have taken great strides in the past few months to “reopen” the country. A large part of that meant loosening restrictions on businesses so they could recover and aid in stimulating the economy. As such, employers are scrambling to get operations back in full effect. The only problem is, many are finding that employees aren’t as anxious to come back.
Employee Preferences And Apprehension
No matter how many jobs are available, if they no longer meet the needs of job seekers and existing employees, they probably won’t get filled. The pandemic has essentially caused a lot of changes in preference and created some apprehension. Most people would prefer a remote or hybrid position due to their health and work-life balance advantages. Others are nervous about exposure due to existing medical problems or lackluster health and safety regulations in the workplace.
Employer Advantages
Employers can’t help but consider the advantages they’ve experienced having a remote workforce during the pandemic. Although it took some time to adjust, having all or a portion of their employees working from home saved money on operational costs, boosted workplace morale, improved productivity, and ultimately increased their bottom line.
The same could be said for hiring new employees. Though employers still had to place ads on job boards, sort through applications, complete a job background check, and conduct an interview, using technology made the process more efficient.
Remote And Hybrid Options
When you consider the advantages of remote and hybrid work schedules to both employers and employees, eliminating these types of positions would seem insane. It makes more sense for everyone involved to develop more virtual jobs or mixed opportunities to cut down on costs and prioritize health and safety in this ever-changing world. Though still a relatively new concept, companies large and small are moving in this direction.
Remote jobs would be available to individuals that didn’t need to be in the office to complete their role for the company. They would ultimately be required to use the same technological platforms used during the pandemic to track their hours, record their progress, complete tasks, and collaborate with co-workers. Employers might request that they come in for staff meetings, corporate events, or other circumstances where in-person encounters were best. Creating more of these positions would essentially encourage individuals with medical, emotional, or work-life balance issues to stay with a company long-term.
Hybrid jobs or schedules would involve groups of individuals working part of the week in-house and the rest remotely. This dynamic is ideal for operations that require in-house personnel for hands-on jobs that can’t be completed from home. It still provides flexibility, reduces health and safety risks, saves on overhead costs, and boosts employee morale. Hybrid models would also help to eliminate any ideas of “favoritism” or “specialized treatment” amongst in-house vs. remote workers.
Working Out The Kinks
As with any new development, creating a remote or hybrid workforce isn’t without challenges. Not all employees are going to be disciplined enough to work from home. Some, particularly new hires, might have trouble prioritizing work over their personal lives and will need time to adapt.
Companies will also have to develop effective policies and management practices across the board for in-person, hybrid, and remote teams. Not to mention overcoming hurdles like acquiring, training, maintaining, and troubleshooting technologies provided to employees to use in their home offices. Employers must address some of the issues of transitioning to a remote or hybrid workforce before it can be a true success.
The reopening of the country is just the start of life post-pandemic. Unfortunately, not everyone is anxious to get back to “normal”. For businesses nationwide, the question becomes how to create a working environment that accommodates the needs of today’s employees. Although there are several avenues to consider, many are looking into remote and hybrid concepts to make returning to the workplace more manageable for everyone.
