The Companies Backtracking on Flexible Work

As the power pendulum swings back towards bosses, some companies are ordering their workers back to the office. Does it mark a permanent return? Plus, how can Gen Z make friends in a remote-work era?

Why bosses are rolling back remote work

In January, Disney employees received a memo from CEO Bob Iger. Like other entertainment conglomerates, the media giant had been operating a hybrid-working policy, in which teams were allowed to work remotely twice a week. However, Iger explained in the memo, the company was now reversing course, mandating a four-day return to office beginning in March.

Disney isn’t the only major corporation pulling back on workplace flexibility. Across sectors, companies including Starbucks, Twitter and auditing firm KPMG are mandating?more in-person days, or even a return to?full-time office working patterns. According to a January 2023 survey of 1,806 US workers by recruitment-agency Monster, while half of employers believe giving employees flexible schedules has worked well, a third who planned to adopt a virtual or hybrid model have?changed their minds?from a year ago.

While CEOs cite the need for in-person collaboration, camaraderie and mentorship as reasons for returning, studies show that what many employees value most is flexible work. The arrangement has reduced worker burnout, boosted work-life balance and even, in many cases,?improved professional performance. This means that there is, indeed, a mismatch between what employers want and what their workers want – yet bosses are forging on with bringing their employees back in.

The return to more in-person settings is a significant development in the changing world of work, especially given workers have had the?upper hand when it comes to bargaining for flexibility?during the hiring crisis. But as economic uncertainty looms, and companies axe jobs on a wide scale, the power dynamic is swinging back towards employers: many may be using the downturn as an opportunity to enforce or overhaul their working practices. For affected workers, fears of recession and layoffs mean many will have to head back to the office – at least for now.

Read more from Alex Christian on whether we should expect a wide-scale return.

The personal toll of job insecurity and layoffs

As layoffs have swept the globe in the past year – and particularly in the past four months – thousands who considered themselves relatively secure in their positions have found themselves out of work. The job cuts have permeated many sectors, and don’t show signs of letting up.

As a result, many employees are steeping in worry that they may be next. Even while they are still employed, anxiety is taking a toll. Many workers are finding their mental health erode, and, in some cases, their career development is taking a hit, too. And in an uncertain economy, they may not find relief soon.

Read more from Josie Cox on how looming layoffs can affect employees.?

Are we done with the CV gap taboo??

Traditionally deemed a career taboo, the pandemic has meant that employment discontinuity is becoming increasingly normalised.

Workers have different reasons for these gaps: some have been laid off; some have necessarily dropped out of the workforce for caring obligations; and some have taken ‘career breaks’ to re-charge.

There’s good news here: following the pandemic, many employers are encouraging people to open up about their time away from the workplace. Still, while there’s been a significant uptick in resume gaps as well as openness around discussing them, not all spells of unemployment are created equal.

Read more from Alex Christian on changing attitudes towards employment gaps.?

Plus: Gen Z is missing out on crucial work relationships. Can they make friends in the remote-work era?

Find more on?BBC Business , too. See you next week.

– Meredith Turits , Editor, BBC Worklife