Why a 5-Day Office Week is a Deal-Breaker for Today's Talent

As the dust settles on the pandemic's impact on work, many corporate leaders are dead set on getting staff to return to the office. Some CEOs are even rolling out plans to reward those that do.  
 
While the intention may be to boost morale and productivity, this approach seems to be at odds with what modern workers are looking for. 

The Employer's Perspective 

Employers, particularly those at the executive level, are keen on bringing their workforce back to the office. We’ve written about this extensively, and it always comes back to the same reasons: 

• Fostering team collaboration 

• Enhancing company culture

• More control and oversight.  

Some CEOs are now considering financial incentives to lure employees back to their cubicles and communal coffee pots. However, is this what the workforce really wants? And is it beneficial for employers? 

Probably not. 

Contrary to the boardroom's view, a significant portion of the workforce is not eager to give up the flexibility they've experienced. According to HR News, 40% of UK workers would decline a job if it required them to be in the office five days a week. 

Flexible working conditions and the option for remote work are one of the most highly sought after workplace benefits. The message is clear: employees value their autonomy and the ability to maintain a work-life balance more than a corner office. 

If corporate leaders start rewarding people just for being present in the office they could not only be missing out on talent, but they could also end up promoting people who aren’t fit to be in senior positions.  

The Three-Day Compromise

There is no doubt that in-person collaboration cannot yet be replicated as effectively online. Being in the office is essential for some businesses, however, there are very few reasons why people need to be there 5 or 6 days a week. 

The 3-day office workweek is gaining traction as businesses strive to find a balance between remote work flexibility and in-office collaboration. This hybrid model offers a compromise that aims to capture the best of both worlds.  

On one hand, employees get to enjoy the flexibility and work-life balance that comes with remote work. On the other hand, businesses maintain the team cohesion, spontaneous creativity, and mentorship opportunities that are often more prevalent in a physical office setting. 

Companies like Google and Salesforce have adopted variations of this model. Google's "flexible workweek" concept involves "3 days in the office and the rest wherever you work best," according to CEO Sundar Pichai. 

The Personnel Checks Approach 

At Personnel Checks, we've adopted a different strategy. Our team is required to be in the office 50% of the time, with specific mandatory days being Monday and Wednesday.  

We believe that this hybrid model allows for the collaborative benefits of in-office work while respecting the individual needs and well-being of our team members.  

And the evidence supports this. In a recent internal survey, we found that: 

• 100% felt that our working model gives them a better work-life balance. 

• 100% felt that their team could collaborate effectively at a distance. 

• 100% felt they were equipped to do their job from wherever they are. 

• 91% felt that hybrid working improved their mental health 

• 86% felt that working from home did not impact their opportunities for development and progression. 

• 81.8% believed that working from home improved the quality of their work. 

While there’s still some improvement to be seen in these stats, for us they show that we’re doing something right. 

It can be hard to know to do what’s right. Remote and hybrid work are truly modern issues, and for many businesses, there is no precedent on how to implement a successful working model. 
 
However, falling back on traditional ways of working as though they are the pinnacle of efficiency or productivity is an error. 

As the landscape of work continues to evolve, it's crucial for employers and employees to engage in open dialogue. Only then can we develop hybrid working models that are not just compromises but mutually beneficial solutions for a modern workforce.