2023-06-29 17:28:17
Seeing each other in person at the office clearly helps to strengthen ties. (Photo: Tim van der Kuip for Unsplash)
DAMNED JOB! is a section where Olivier Schmouker answers your toughest questions [et les plus pertinentes] on the modern business world… and, of course, its quirks. An appointment to read tuesdays and the thursdays. Do you want to participate? Send us your question at [email protected]
Q. – “Coffee breaks, lively meetings, giggles… Needless to say, everyday life at work was much more pleasant when everyone came to the office every day. I still do not understand those who prefer, instead of these beautiful moments of relaxation, to do their laundry or shop online…” – Anne-Marie
A. – Dear Anne-Marie, it is true that the pandemic has changed many things, in particular our way of working. And that necessarily has its share of satisfied people (better balance between work and private life, less time spent commuting between home and the workplace, etc.) as well as its share of dissatisfied people, like you (less contact humans, Zoom fatigue, etc.).
Now, many employers are scrambling to get employees back into the office. It is that they are convinced that nothing beats the exchanges in person, “guarantee of individual performance as collective”, they estimate. Add to that the fact that it pisses them off to pay crazy prices for empty workspaces, most of the time.
Result? The current trend is to force employees to return to the office as often as possible, ideally 100% of the time. Like in the good old days.
But here it is, is forcing an employee into something that does not enchant him the best way to get his 110%? I strongly doubt that…
So what to do? Well, it seems there is an alternative that would make almost everyone happy, employers and employees alike! Yes Yes…
I unearthed her in a survey that was recently conducted by the recruitment firm Hays in Great Britain. In fact, we discover that 62% of the approximately 11,000 employees surveyed would agree to work 100% of the time in the office, but on condition that they switch to a four-day week!
In other words, the idea is very simple: employers, adopt the four-day week, and you will see that the vast majority of your employees will no longer be on the brakes to get back to the office. Because the deal will be win-win.
How to explain that so many employees are ready to draw a line under telework and on the hybrid mode? The survey gives several answers:
– 89% of employees believe that the four-day week is beneficial for mental health and well-being.
– 59% of them consider that it is conducive to individual efficiency and overall productivity.
– 44% consider that it improves the organisation’s image, to the point of boosting its attractiveness to talented people looking for a new job.
That’s not all.
– 92% of those who benefit from the four-day week indicate that the quality of their personal life has been improved.
– And 84%, that it had a positive impact on their professional life.
As we can see, such significant gains more than compensate for the drawbacks linked to the return to 100% office.
Now, which four-day week formula is the most popular? The survey brings to light the fact that there really isn’t a more popular formula than the others.
– In 38% of cases, no one works either on Friday or Monday. So everyone has three-day weekends.
– In 31% of cases, the day off varies from week to week. Very often, the manager determines it for everyone according to the imperatives of the team.
– In 16% of cases, everyone is free to take the day they want.
– Finally, in 15% of cases, there are slight variations of the three formulas presented above.
One last point, which deserves to be underlined: when we talk regarding a four-day week, we are talking regarding four working days of a normal duration, paid as five (without a salary cut, therefore). It is not a question of extending the working days so that workers can complete their five days in just four.
Finally, what do employers say regarding this alternative? The possibility of a return to 100% office in exchange for the four-day week? From the outset, 34% of them say they are ready to sign such an agreement. Yes, you read that right: 1 employer out of 3 is already ready to accept this agreement! Undoubtedly, this proportion would skyrocket if ever pioneers took the plunge and witnessed the positive consequences that would ensue for them…
So, Anne-Marie? How regarding the four-day week, if it ever allowed you to reconnect with coffee breaks and giggles with your colleagues? Would you board? If so, well, I invite you to have your manager read this column. Who knows? It might make a lot of people happy in your organization…
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#agree #return #office #if..
