Report: Employers hampered by lack of technology for hybrid work

Only half of workers surveyed believe employers have made a solid effort to secure technology for work flexibility, according to a new Condeco study.

People are not being offered the chance to work in a hybrid way, or they don’t feel that current conditions enable them to achieve tasks outside of the office, according to a new study. While over one in three employees are splitting their time between their home and the workplace, only 12% of respondents said they believe the new hybrid model has persuaded their company leaders to invest in greater technology to satisfy hybrid work, according to Condeco, a provider of workspace scheduling software.

The finding is in marked contrast with employee preference for the new structure of work–69% agreed that being able to split their time between home and the office shows that their company takes into consideration the emotional and mental well-being of its employees, with the figure rising to 76% for the hybrid working subgroup, according to the report.

Tech enables hybrid work–yet only half of workers have the right tools

Businesses have realized the opportunity of hybrid working–78% of manager respondents said they believe their business has been streamlined as a result of the model.

Ensuring the right conditions are in place to achieve, sustain and develop the hybrid work model requires “more investment in the right technology tools,’’ the report said.

Almost half (48%) of employees said that “making sure the right digital tools are in place” is vital to ensure successful hybrid working–higher than all other points. Further, and what Condeco called “arguably a more striking statistic,” was that half of employee respondents felt their company was not using the right tools for hybrid working.

Only half of respondents feel their company is open to feedback about their digital tool stack, the report said.

Companies are grappling with how best to bring employees back to the office on a flexible basis. To ensure collaboration and high productivity, employers must consider their workplace tech as the backbone of their strategy, the report said.

Meanwhile, eight in 10 managers now “trust their employees to get their work done when working from home,’’ the Condeco report said.

Achieving digital equality for virtual and in-room participants was the important thing cited by 68% of respondents to ensure effective collaboration can continue when hybrid working.

Not surprisingly, tech employees have adapted the fastest to hybrid work with almost half (47%) working in a hybrid model, compared with just a quarter in the public sector, the report said.

Hybrid work has had a positive impact on mental health

Sixty-nine percent of hybrid worker respondents agreed that their employers take into consideration the emotional and mental well-being of employees. Further, the number one benefit of hybrid working was a better work-life balance, with the lack of a social environment offered by work being the biggest barrier to remote working.

Significantly, more than a third of workers surveyed reported that a hybrid work model has positively impacted their mental and physical health.

“Everyone wants something different out of work, but we can clearly see that almost no one wants to be back in the office full-time,” said Paul Statham, Condeco’s CEO and founder, in a statement. “We all know by now that hybrid models are key to ensuring a healthy work-life balance, but how each employer acts on that realization will determine their employees’ fulfillment with their company. No one is suggesting that the office is obsolete, on the contrary, it remains a vital place for employees to collaborate and engage.”

Business leaders who want to provide the best of both worlds for their employees must find a way to transform their offices from a place employees have to go to a place they want to go, Statham added.

 Hybrid workers are happy and the most loyal employees

The report found that 62% of respondents feel satisfied with their hybrid work schedule–and fostering a work culture that brings happiness helps employers attract and retain top talent.

Hybrid workers are employers’ biggest advocates, with 63% saying they would recommend their company as an ideal place to work, the report said. The research also found that nearly half of those back in their offices full-time would like to be more hybrid, which employers struggling with the Great Resignation appear not to be considering, the report said.

Condeco said the poll included findings from 1,500 workers.

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