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"I am a grown up let me work where I want"

"We pay you come into the office when we say"

"We are missing?business?goals because?we are not collaborating?as well"

"Don't drag me through a long commute to the office to make me sit on my own"

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- 4 different perspectives?on the hybrid working conundrum.?

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So, I have?read a lot of articles over the last few weeks about the hybrid working debate - often very one sided and often?from a very personal perspective and to add some balance to this, I spoke with four people that I’ve been working with recently and they shared four very contrasting personal perspectives?- no names and no titles for confidentiality.?

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?I am a grown up. Let me work where I want – This comment was from a middle manager, being paid a good package?to do a specific?role within her organisation. She manages a few staff and always achieves her objectives. "I am a better judge as to how I am going?to achieve something than my manager?is, I know how I best perform?and in what environment for different tasks, let me work from where works for me, my team and meeting my objectives. I am a grown up".?

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We pay you to be in the office?– as said by a senior manager with a large team. "I want staff in the office where I can keep my eye on them. But it doesn't?really matter why I want them in the office. The contract says office-based. Just because they worked at home during covid (and therefore kept working and not on furlough) I want them in (the office) now - time to stop whining and time to come to work."?

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We are not being productive enough working remotely?– said a middle manager with a small team of focused junior staff. "I am happy for people to work at home on occasion, but whilst they can hit their objectives as single contributor, I feel I am missing mine because what I need is them sitting next to each other, sparking off each other, having coffee conversations?and helping?each other – that’s how we will get to the next level of team performance."?

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Don't waste my time (with a commute to a lonely office) – ?"Every time I go to the office, half of the team don't, instead I find myself dialling in to a virtual meeting, from the office. Most people who sit near me don’t engage with me, as they are each focused on their own things. I spend time (my own time) getting in and getting out of the office essentially just for small talk. It may (but more likely may not) help the business but it certainly doesn't?help me achieve my objectives, which I can meet by working from home much easier".?

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Who is right and who is wrong? Where do you sit in the debate?? My gut tells me everyone is partly right and partly wrong, as there are few absolutes when it comes to work culture for productivity and one size doesn't?fit all.

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How can these contrasting views be ‘solved’ so we can all work harmoniously again??

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Be clear from the start: Part of the issue with working from home or hybrid working is that people aren't?clear upfront. The website says “we are flexible?employers” and these words are repeated with the corporate messaging at the interview. But what does being a flexible employer actually?mean? When hiring new staff it is important to tell them what you want to happen as the normal way of doing?business, e.g. “sometimes we will need you in the office?more and sometimes you will need to work at home more - but normally we expect X days a week in the office.” By being clear at the early stages of recruitment, ensures that the candidates that don’t want this, won’t?join your business - the ones that do are OK with it.?

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Schedule collaboration: Try to make collaboration happen by naming particular-days that the whole 'team' is in the office together and can sit near each other, not just meet each other to cover a particular task. Turning up to the office to sit next to silent or non-engaging strangers, just sitting at your desk ‘alone’?all day is boring. Schedule ways to make the office somewhat more social, encourage collaboration and introduce people that don't?know each other.?

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Be truly flexible around your staff’s needs:?Let people feel comfortable?asking to work from home on certain days. They want to work at home because?their child is performing at school that day. If you trust them to deliver?and make up the necessary?time, let them work from home that day with no questions.?

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There’s a mix of corporate culture and a part of every manager’s role to work out which days the team should?co-locate and work together and planning how to get the most people together?for the good of the business.

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?Hybrid working is here to stay, so work out what you want and make it happen – being honest and transparent at each step.?