Hybrid: how bosses are struggling
Obviously Boris WOULD announce a work from home order as soon as I get these findings, but I’m just ignoring his dead cat bounce for the moment.
So how is hybrid working in professional service firms (law, management consultancy, financial services, telecoms,agencies)? The big news, is that the unwritten employment contract has been rewritten by employees.
A loooong list of responses follows. Maybe scroll to the headlines that match your situation.
🚦 Employees have reset
Employees broadly welcome the reset, but some are wary. They see hybrid working as a way for employers to expect more from employees—’sure go home, but then log on when the kids are asleep/before they wake up…’ (from a senior person who doesn’t have kids).
‘I get to do the nursery run and go the gym… but I’m also expected to do that conference call with NY at 10pm without comment.’
‘After 18 months at home, going back to the office was like waking from a dream. I questioned why I’d spent so long there before, and why I thought it was all so important.’
🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈 Management is harder
(yes, that’s a herd of cats)
Some report that decisions have tipped away from work as ‘the default’:
‘They said they wanted to come in—where are they?’
‘They can’t make a client meeting because they have a nursery pick up. This never used to happen… what can Isay?’
‘We’re concerned about lost motivation… people might have worked for us for two years yet barely seen clients.’
‘The members of my team come in any days they want, but I feel I should be there most days to support them.’
🦪 And a little lonelier
‘People used to come to my office all the time and ask for advice…’
‘Client entertaining and networking—it’s unclear if we should or shouldn’t be doing it.’
✨ WFH days prized by teams
‘Overall, I prefer the hybrid option and happy not to have a daily one hour commute. Most certainly the predicted hybrid model going forward was the reason for us choosing to live so far from the office—supporting our lifestyle choices.’
‘I like eating at home and being able to put the washing on.’
‘My youngest daughter’s nativity is this week and I’m happy to go; I missed her last prize giving because I had to go in.’
🖥 But leaders are more pro-office
‘The collective energy is more productive.’
‘I’m better at shutting down there.’
‘We need everyone to take advantage of it for it to work well. Some seniors consider one day a month WFH as hybrid!’
‘From my (senior) seat, even though I prefer/find myself more efficient working in the office, I make sure I work from home a couple of days a week to retain the flexibility.’
👶🏿 Life-stage is the main differentiator
Unsurprisingly, those with younger kids are most likely to value WFH. Generation Y is split: some want full remote, others more time in the office:
‘If (leaders) want their team in the office more, this is a diktat.’
A general trend from leaders with kids that are no longer living at home.
‘I notice the ones ten years on from me want to be in the office, but their kids have left home, their social interactions are limited.’
🌊 Churn is adding to the tensions
‘One of my bosses was rude, HR did nothing, I told them to stick their job’
’17 years in, and I’m tired of the same-same and the BS… I am looking to move’.
‘We’re so short staffed that I’m nervous to even tell people what to do in case they leave; I’m worried it’s impacting on our client service.’
(Randstad data shows 69% feel confident they could walk into another job immediately).
🚊 And the increasing demands
‘I am seeing now, which never happened before COVID, people complaining about the cost of travel and wanting to expense the train/tube fares to work. Now they don’t come in everyday, employees have forgotten that they used to pay for travel all the time, and think it’s a huge imposition when they have to.’
🔀 Offices have lost a lot of appeal
‘I no longer have anywhere to leave stuff, so I have to carry everything to work and back, different desk each day. Park car, buy train ticket, book desk, admission pass—a lot of hassle.’
‘It’s the practical things that get overlooked… a heavy laptop, having stuff in the wrong place, risk of losing things.’
‘Constant Covid tests… I understand, but it’s really annoying.’
‘Collaboration time is squandered if you end up spending the day on calls.’
👀 Monitored yet invisible
Some feel watched:
‘My husband (at high street bank) has designed a device to keep his mouse moving during school runs so he doesn’t go green.’
(yet Qatalog data says only 1 in 4 feel their work is visible to their teams).
‘Met a graduate who’d been with us for three months and realised she had no idea what an asset manager does!’
‘When I saw someone’s light go orange, I would message them—I was probably sending the wrong signals as a boss…’
🚀 Direction of travel
Many bosses are pushing office attendance, when employees want to keep it as is.
‘I am hearing the signals [that more days in the office will be required] and thinking, should I leave?’
‘We moved out of town for a better quality of life… if I don’t get it…’
There is more… on hybrid calls, the pros and cons for women, and the best way to plan weeks. Email me if you want the even longer memo.
Next week
Some actions to help inform your 2022 plan.
So before then, tell me if these resonated and what answers you have for any of these challenges: I’ll be reading your messages—and might even feature a video clip if you send it!
Best wishes,
Christine
