The Future Is Flexible: Why Forcing Employees Back to the Office Is Not the Answer

Stefan Hoogenboom and I often hear the same question: Why haven't we made it mandatory for our team to return to the office a few days a week like most other companies? And if we don’t enforce time in the office, how do we know that our team is productive?

Sadly, many CEOs still believe that the office is the secret sauce to productivity. But if there is one thing we’ve learned, it's that the office serves a different purpose. The office is a place where collaboration, socialising, mentoring and training thrive but where focused work gets sucked into a productivity black hole.

Rather than trying to make your team return to the office, I believe the focus should be on how best to partner with our employees in this new era of work.

There's an increasing amount of evidence to suggest that employees value a more flexible work model. In fact, when people are given the option to work flexibly, a whopping 87% of them jump at the chance . It's clear — the desire for flexibility is not a passing trend. It's a fundamental shift in how we approach work.?

What's even more interesting is that employees are willing to change jobs to get the flexibility they want. This means that companies risk losing their most valuable assets — their top talent. We saw this at Apple, where several senior employees resigned when the company enforced a strict policy that demanded staff to be in the office at least three times a week.

It looks like some employers still don't realise how a more flexible work environment can help their businesses and teams. It isn't just about making things easier and more convenient; it's a smart move that can help both employees and companies in many ways. Here's why I believe in it:?

In today’s competitive job market, giving employees flexibility in how and where they work is key to attracting and retaining talent.?

The pandemic changed the way we work and employees got a taste of flexibility that many don't want to give up. Today, many job seekers are looking for more flexibility, and for some, it can be the deciding factor in whether they join your company or take their skills elsewhere.

What’s more, by offering a more flexible work model, you are able to remove geographical barriers and tap into a much broader and more diverse talent pool. Sounds like a win-win to me.?

There is a great irony in the office-centric mindset. Not only does productivity suffer, but employee engagement takes a hit, too.?

Flexible work attracts top talent, but it also makes employees more productive. Employees with the freedom to choose when and where they work tend to be more motivated and efficient. When employees are trusted to manage their own schedules, they often work with greater enthusiasm and focus on delivering results rather than just adhering to a rigid office routine.

At blackbear | Your safest way to hire a freelancer , we're all about putting people first. Our whole story started because we were frustrated with the usual way of doing things. We figured out early on that the best results came when we gave our teams the freedom to work where they felt most productive — whether that was in the office, or at home.?

Perhaps the most significant benefit is the chance to create harmony between your professional and personal life

Stats on the effects of work-life balance on productivity suggest that companies can double employee output by embracing a flexible work model. This approach allows your team to embrace a more harmonious approach to a work-life balance, one where everyone can create schedules according to their own specific needs for physical and mental health. It gives them the opportunity to more freely decide when they want to spend time with their families, pursue hobbies, or simply relax, or when they want to work a few hours more to get a headstart on a big task.

In my experience, giving our team more control over their time empowered them with a greater sense of freedom to complete work tasks and still take care of their own personal responsibilities, leading to increased job satisfaction and ultimately boosting productivity.?

I strongly believe that having policies that force everyone back to the office full-time ignores the fact that people have diverse needs. It’s time to leave the one-size-fits-all work model in the past and rather tailor work arrangements to suit individual roles and preferences. I’ve found that having a hybrid work model has allowed our team at blackbear the freedom to craft a workweek that helps them reach peak productivity and thrive.?