// INFOGRAPHIC //
Analysis shows
47 % OF EMPLOYEES SAY THEY ’ LL QUIT IF EMPLOYER ORDERS RETURN TO OFFICE FULL TIME
“
MANY STUDIES HAVE FOUND THAT FLEXIBLE
WORK SCHEDULES
IMPROVE WELL-BEING ,
ENGAGEMENT AND
ORGANISATIONAL COMMITMENT .
FTER THE UPHEAVAL of the
A last three years , employees have shifted their priorities when it comes to work / life balance and flexibility . Employers have had to pivot and change their workplace policies , while juggling company culture , attraction / retention and cost – sometimes a seemingly impossible task .
The Integrated Benefits Institute ( IBI ), a health and productivity research non-profit , conducted an analysis of flexible work models to gain more insight into how to optimise work arrangements for employers , attract and retain talent and maximise productivity . IBI examined flexible work models ’ variations , benefits , challenges , supports and outcomes through a two-tiered , sequential , mixed-methods study , as shown in its infographic .
Current research shows that almost half ( 47 %) of employees indicate they would quit a job or begin looking for a new job immediately if their employer mandated a full time return to office policy . An IBI study in 2022 found that remote and hybrid employees are 22 % more productive , 21 % more satisfied and 51 % more highly engaged . While multiple studies suggest that most employees want to retain some form of remote work ( as many as 89 %), some employers are implementing return to the office full or part time .
“ Many studies have found that flexible work schedules improve well-being , engagement and organisational commitment . Offering flexibility can mitigate the risks of burnout and ensure employees are maximising their productivity ,” said IBI Researcher , Carole Bonner , MET , MSAS . “ Employers that are seeing improved attraction and retention rates and attracting top talent are often the ones offering the most flexibility .”
A majority ( 85 %) of employers say they already offer or plan to offer some kind of flexible work arrangement , whether that ’ s fully remote or hybrid with varying quantities of days split between home and office . However , IBI ’ s findings highlight a significant gap between employers and employees regarding the future workplace . Only 15.1 % of remotecapable employees expressed a desire to return to the office full time , while significantly more ( 22.5 %) of US employers with remotecapable employees want their employees back in the office full time .
Employers cite a number of reasons for wanting employees back in the office , including empty office space expenditures , questions surrounding true productivity measures and hurting creativity and community among workforce . When asked about the top benefits of working at the office , most employees cited socialising ( 51 %) and face-to-face collaboration ( 47 %). Other noteworthy benefits of in-office work include access to better equipment and improved boundaries between work / personal time .
Employees ’ subjective well-being ( SWB ), a measurement of happiness , paints a less rosy picture . Those who work fully on-site are less likely to rate their level of happiness as high . Those who work in an office-first arrangement , with one to two days working
18 intelligent
. tech
Intelligent SME . tech