Hybrid work has biggest impact on workers' wellbeing, finds survey
While many employers have made a push to bring workers back to the office, many workers say they can still be part of the company culture without seeing their colleagues often, according to a report.
Nearly six in 10 (59 per cent) Canadians believe that you don’t need to see coworkers in person every day to form strong relationships, consistent across different age groups, found IWG.
And taking that option away from workers and demanding that they commute to the office five days a week can be very costly for employers: Nearly all (95 per cent) of Gen Z employees and 84 per cent of Millennials would anticipate some form of salary increase if they are forced back to the office; 71 per cent of Gen X and 61 per cent of Baby Boomers have the same claim.
Workers want a pay increase of 10 per cent, on average, if they will not be able to work hybrid.
Also, over half (53 per cent) of Millennials would look for another job if they are deprived of the hybrid work option. Just about a third (32 per cent) of Baby Boomers say the same.
“Hybrid working is universally popular among all generations who have embraced the many benefits the model offers, from better physical and mental health to better sleep and more energy,” says Wayne Berger, CEO of Americas, IWG.
“The study highlights that there are important generational differences and one size doesn’t fit all; rather, there are many different flavours of hybrid working and the needs of employees will differ according to where they are in their careers and personal lives. Employers face the challenge of balancing the demands of the younger workforce while addressing the concerns of older employees.”
Overall, nearly six in 10 (58 per cent) workers prefer to work either on a hybrid basis where they’re frequently remote (33 per cent) or fully remote (25 per cent), according to a recent LinkedIn survey.
Is hybrid working good for mental health?
Having the flexibility to work in-office or remote (74%) positively impacts more Canadian hybrid worker’s well-being, according to IWG’s survey of 1,027 Canadians over the age of 18 who work in a flexible, hybrid environment, conducted March 14-19, 2024.
This flexibility’s impact on well-being outweighs more traditional influences like workload (54 per cent), office commute (54 per cent), manager (53 per cent) or wellness program (40 per cent).
Many Canadian hybrid workers are feeling:
- an improved overall mood (52 per cent)
- less stress (57 per cent)
- better sleep (53 per cent)
- more energy (45per cent).
Employees are looking for better well-being support from their employers, according to a previous report.
Another reason employers should not force workers back to the office is that employers do not seem to be ready to meet workers’ needs, according to a previous Cisco report.
“A company driven by measuring outcomes instead of monitoring employees will allow for flexibility about where and even when people work,” says Brian Elliott, co-founder and general founder at McElliott Advisors, via the MITSloan Management Review.
Teams that figure out a regular rhythm that works for workers perform best, he says.
“The bottom line is that when trust is balanced with accountability, people and organizations will thrive. The time employees save by not having to commute can be put toward their jobs or their personal lives.”
