“We’re not putting that genie back in the bottle” is a phrase I’ve used at least two or three dozen times over the past few months whenever I’m asked about the realm of remote and hybrid work and how return-to-office (RTO) mandates are impacting these attributes. No matter how the economy shifts and no matter how far the pendulum swings back in favor of the employer, the phrase will always be true.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a watershed moment for humanity. And it was also a turning point in the business world.
There was much talk about “The Great Recession” and the veritable “talent revolution” happening within the workforce; the idea that workers (finally) would have more control over not only their workstyles but also their destinies sparked an innovative movement, buoyed by Future of Work accelerants like empathy-led leadership, more inclusive workplaces, and, yes, flexibility.
The Great Recession wasn’t going to last forever, though, especially as the economy tumbled and life in general began to revert back to pre-pandemic ways. It was inevitable that many of the strategic gains of the pandemic, specifically the power shifting to the worker, would fade as the world emerged from the emergency phase of the pandemic. This is, of course, all part of a “Great Resettling” as organizations around the globe configure the future of workforce and workplace operations in a post-pandemic landscape.
But back to the genie and its bottle…
RTO mandates are part of the enterprise fabric of 2023, an unfortunate parallel to uncertain economic times and a corporate universe that sadly eschews culture for profits (something seen in some organizations, not all). However, as much as we read about brand-name CEOs and executives demanding that workers return to the confines of the office, there is still a harsh reality at hand for the leaders that want to turn back the clock:
The hybrid workplace wasn’t meant to be temporary solution…it was designed to be the very future of how we work.
It makes sense, no matter how we slice it, that the large-scale remote work “experiments” are over. That’s one thing that I’m sure we can all agree on; the idea of “fully-remote” is still a crucial element to many businesses but not a foundational layer (anymore) of the workplace for others. This is where the acceptance and embrace of flexibility, even in a changing business world, forms the next great era of the hybrid workplace.
Tell someone that they can no longer walk their children to the bus stop two or three mornings per week. Tell someone that early evening baseball games will have to be missed because of long commutes from the city. Tell someone that doctor’s appointments can no longer be prioritized ahead of work commitments. Tell someone that the flexibility that finally became an accepted aspect of the workplace is suddenly going to vanish.
Discuss these concepts with a highly-skilled worker who epitomizes Best-in-Class expertise, and you’ll observe a swift decline in talent retention—all in pursuit of regaining a semblance of control. The evolution of the hybrid workplace extends beyond physical location; it involves acknowledging that the workforce has integrated flexibility and autonomy into how they work, transforming these into non-negotiable expectations.
What does the next great era of the hybrid workplace entail? It’s so simple: infuse flexibility into how workers style their work preference and communicate the importance of “balance” within in-office vs. remote structures. It shouldn’t be an all-or-nothing approach, as this will not only alienate valued members of the workforce but also leave the enterprise with a negative workplace culture that will taint talent acquisition and candidate engagement efforts. While not a perfect example, companies like Penguin Random House seemed to have adopted this approach, with the company’s CEO, Nihar Malaviya, recently stating, “The needs of the various departments around the company are distinct, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Therefore, each division and department will discuss how we will work together; different managers may make different decisions for their teams based on their job functions and business priorities.”
Again, not perfect, but not so hard-line that workers and potential candidates will be disengaged from the organization. Expect to see more and more enterprises, especially in the Fortune 1000, “resettle” into a mode of working that balances both traditional and new ways of thinking. Flexibility became non-negotiable for the workforce, given just how much it allowed professionals to achieve a better work-life integration. For the sake of both talent retention and talent acquisition, businesses must develop a model that works for the company brand, its culture, its workforce, and its workplace.
As we navigate the post-pandemic landscape, businesses that grasp and adapt to this new reality, where flexibility is a bedrock of the workforce, will flourish. The genie may not return to its bottle, but this doesn’t signify chaos; instead, it heralds the emergence of a more adaptable, empowered, and productive era in the world of work.
