Hybrid work will vary by job type and company size post-pandemic, survey shows

More than half of companies anticipate a full return to the office once the COVID-19 pandemic ends, a new survey from recruitment agency Robert Half Canada (RHC) shows.

According to a survey of 800 senior managers in Canada, 56 per cent of respondents said they will require their teams to be on-site full time once COVID-19-related restrictions completely lift.

Fewer will allow employees to follow a hybrid schedule where they can divide time between the office and another location (29 per cent) or give staff the complete freedom to choose where they work (13 per cent).

Image Credit: CNW Group/Robert Half Canada

The survey also found that managers’ views about the future of hybrid work vary by practice area and company size. Those most likely to favour flexibility (with the highest percentage allowing employees to be remote part or full-time) work in:

• Technology departments (48 per cent)
• Large organizations with 1,000 or more employees (53 per cent)

Also, employers cited a variety of top challenges when managing hybrid teams, pointing to the complexities of supporting a dispersed workforce long-term:

• Trusting employees to get work done: 22 per cent
• Communicating effectively with team members: 21 per cent
• Finding time for team development: 20 per cent
• Gauging workloads and helping staff avoid burnout: 18 per cent
• Effectively recognizing and rewarding employee accomplishments: 18 per cent

RHC officials caution that employers should be aware of the risks of mandating a full return to the office: Previous research from RHC reveals more than half of employees (51 per cent) prefer a hybrid arrangement and one in three professionals (33 per cent) currently working from home due to the pandemic would look for a new job if required to be in the office five days a week. “In addition, a separate survey finds 30 per cent of workers feel much more productive when remote versus in the office,” the firm said.