“Insisting that homeworking is bad for a business is denying the day of light”

Saying that Philippe Dullaert, Finance Director at Hays, was a fierce opponent of working from home would go a little far. But he wasn’t a big fan either. Then COVID-19 struck and this guy, together with many others, suddenly had no choice. But with a crisis often comes an epiphany…

The pandemic that struck Europe at the beginning of this year, which has still not left us, has radically changed the way we live and work. Apart from a short breather during the summer months, we have lived from one lockdown to another. Bars and restaurants are closed, shopping has become a solo competition, seeing friends and family is almost impossible (and dangerous). And work... Only certain industries were allowed to do their work from the work floor, but others were confined to the house.

Lockdowns, homeworking, hardly any social contacts, ... What does that do to an office animal like you?

Philippe: “Yeah, well… Together with all my colleagues at Hays, I have been working from home for most of the year. And as you know, I’ve always had a healthy aversion to working from home, so this has not been an ideal situation. Before COVID-19, I was, so to speak, unable to move away from the office. I enjoyed the daily murmur, the sound of the coffee machine, the casual chats between colleagues, someone who came into my office to ask a quick question, ... I really miss the small talk, by the way. The difference between a 'How are things going?' at the office or via yet another video call is enormous. Where you often got a sincere answer face-to-face, and thus knew when someone was having a hard time, you are often blocked off during a call, because it feels unnatural. "Yeah, I’m fine. You?" And that’s that.

‘A crisis sometimes brings with it new insights. So now I tend to say: well, homeworking is certainly not the devil's play either.’

Something I also notice when working from home is how the dynamics between teams have changed.

Philippe: “Certainly, because when it comes to cooperation between teams, office work also has considerable advantages. For example, when our Admin team gets news about a new mission for a client, let’s say for twenty temporary employees, other services immediately catch up and the 'machine', as it were, sets in motion automatically. Even before any problems arise, they have already been solved, because everyone has responded to each other. Now, despite the countless calls day in, day out, problems often surface too late or people forget to inform someone, as a result of which cases are not processed efficiently enough.”

It was and is clear that you were certainly not or are not a fan of working from home. But even you have to admit that there are advantages to it?

Philippe: (laughs) “It’s that obvious, huh? But yeah, as is often the case, a crisis sometimes brings with it new insights. So now I tend to say: well, homeworking is certainly not the devil's play either. It also brings many benefits. Some are more far-reaching than others, but they’re numerous.”

If I may draw on my own experience, I would say: the time you save.

Philippe: “This is very obvious, but it is also important. For many people, by the way. Before COVID-19, I was in the car for about two hours, just for commuting. Although I used that time usefully - emptying my head, making the first or last phone calls of the day, ... - it remained a large part of the day that was 'lost'. By the time I got home, it was after 7pm, I still had to eat and ideally put on my sports clothes. Well, I can say that the latter often didn’t happen.” 

So now your condition has never been better?

Philippe: “I cannot complain, but above all I feel better about myself. Mentally, too, there are advantages to saving time. When I close my laptop at 6pm, I can immediately start exercising, relax, do a quick chore, ... By the way, something I used to hardly ever be able to do, but 'thanks to' the current crisis I can tuck my daughter in.”

Another form of time gain, you might think, is less meetings. Only, that's not really the case, is it?

Philippe: (sighs) “Let me put it this way: even in 'normal' times, the number of meetings dared to scupper up. FraBeNeLux meetings, for example, meant days of 15 hours for me, of which only half an hour was my presentation. Now they happen from the comfort of my own home. And I'm not even talking about the cost of getting everyone to Paris or Amsterdam. Only, where in the past people used to ask a short question at the coffee machine, now people plan a call that often takes at least half an hour. Before you realize it, you have back-to-back calls and you hardly get anything done.”

‘A better work-life balance and homeworking are two priorities for workers. If they don't find that in their current company, they will not hesitate to look for an employer who does offer it.’

So, once again, we have come to the drawbacks of working from home.

Philippe: “Yes and no. We must not forget that this situation is new to everyone and there is always a learning curve. I myself, for example, have finally realized that a correct 'call hygiene' is essential in order not to be exhausted at the end of the day. That is why I have already planned days without a single call. I am not alone in this, by the way. I think this will lead to a more conscious approach to scheduling for face-to-face meetings as well, as soon as we get back to the office.”

Fair enough, but some bad habits sometimes seep in. Surely, however, it is clear that a lot of work really does not have to be done from an office?

Philippe: “This is possibly one of the most far-reaching achievements of this crisis and compulsory homeworking. Companies used to dare to claim without a shadow of a doubt that someone's presence in the office was really necessary in order to get the work done (well). We have also noticed that everyone can do their job from home. We were, as it were, forced to face the facts. Front or back office, everyone gets the job done. Of course, there will always be sectors or jobs where homeworking is not possible, but the sectors where it is possible will undoubtedly notice that homeworking will not disappear quickly.”

What does that mean for the recruitment of new colleagues in the future?

Philippe: “I see, among other things, that geographical borders, so to speak, are disappearing. Certainly in a country with an enormous traffic density and hundreds of kilometers of traffic jams, it was not easy for an accountant from Brussels to take a job in Kortrijk, for example. Now that we see how efficient homeworking can be, or at least not less efficient, he or she can do that perfectly. In addition to more 'geographical diversity', I also see opportunities for, among others, people with a disability who are less mobile, think of people in wheelchairs. You can adapt your company building (if that's allowed), but there's still commuting. So why not just let them work from home? As far as I'm concerned, the possibilities of (being able to) recruit the very best person are increasing enormously.”

Speaking of buildings, compulsory homeworking will also make a difference on energy bills.

Philippe: “And not just that. It is true that empty companies hardly use any electricity or water, but savings can also be made on fuel (and so the environment). At Hays we have company cars, and we are seeing the enormous drop in consumption. That will also apply to people without a company car, who would otherwise have to drive to and from work every day. Another thing that struck me was the savings on clothing. Certainly in a company like ours with a certain dress code, I regularly had to change a shirt or tie, or a worn out pair of neat shoes. Now a pair of jeans and a jumper will do for me. (laughs) We must also be aware that, after this crisis, offices will become smaller. This is inevitable, as homeworking will continue to be the norm in many companies. There is therefore no longer any need for large work floors for 50 or 100 people.”

I may say, with caution, that you have at least become a 'cool lover' of working from home?

Philippe: “To keep insisting that homeworking is bad or detrimental to a business would be to deny the day of light. Moreover, it would be dangerous, because you would be at risk of falling hopelessly behind. We saw in our 'What Workers Want 2020' survey that a better work-life balance and more homeworking are two priorities for workers since the crisis. If they don't find that in their current company, they will not hesitate to look for an employer who does offer it.”

‘After this crisis, offices will become smaller. This is inevitable, as homeworking will continue to be the norm.’

For many, working from home can still be a challenge, including for myself. So do you have any last tips that can help them get the best out of it?

Philippe: “‘Every disadvantage has its advantage’, Johan Cruijff once said. But the opposite is equally true. Although working from home allows you to be at home and offline right after work, it also allows you to work just that extra hour. That temptation is sometimes very great, but you really have to become aware of it. It is really not the intention that you suddenly have working days of 12 hours when there is no reason to do so. You have to have the courage to define your boundaries.”

“Even when working from home, you have to keep both worlds separate. Another tip stems from a different flexibility: you work not only when you want, but also where you want. I saw that for example during the first lockdown, when we were 'blessed' with beautiful weather. I used to do my calls and e-mails in the garden. In the middle of winter that is a bit more difficult of course, but what stops you from doing 'walking meetings'? Put your earbuds in and take a walk during your calls. You get your work done and you get some fresh air. Our Hays CEO, Alistair Cox, also insisted: bring structure to your day. Start and stop on time, plan sports, prepare a book to read in between, ...

But one of the most important tips I can perhaps give is: take care of each other. That is vital, now more than ever. Not everyone has a partner and/or family. Some people are at risk of becoming isolated and, as I said earlier, when you're not in the office together you're less likely to pick up signals when someone feels bad.”

So, how are you doing?

Philippe: (laughs) “I’m doing fine. You?”

Well, actually…

This was a COVID-19 proof, digital conversation between Philippe Dullaert & Gunther Malin.