Why Leaders want people back in the office?

The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the way we work, pushing the boundaries of remote and hybrid working models across various sectors. As we transition to the post-COVID era, the hybrid working model, which blends remote work with in-office activities, has gained significant traction. Central to the success of this model is trust—a critical element that must be fostered between employers and employees to ensure productivity, engagement, and mutual satisfaction. Despite calls from some prominent business leaders for a return to full-time office work, the hybrid model's sustainability hinges on building and maintaining trust and is here to stay.

I often get asked by employees: Can I work from Home? Is this job offering a hybrid work model?

My answer has always been the same: You need to start building the trust between you and your boss!!

I believe trust is the foundation upon which a successful hybrid working arrangement is built. Without trust, the model is likely to falter under the pressures of micromanagement, disengagement, and inefficiency. When performance drops or trust is broken, Managers would want to have everyone back in the office. Here are 2 widely commented cases:

1. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been vocal about his preference for employees to return to the office, arguing that in-person work is essential for collaboration and innovation.
2. Similarly, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, founder and chairman of Ineos, and recently appointed director at Manchester United has emphasized the importance of having employees in the office to maintain productivity and team cohesion.

Despite what Elon Musk and Sir Jim Ratcliffe say, True Hybrid work model is here to stay. It came out as one of the 10 big shifts in the State of the Organisations 2023 report by 麦肯锡 .

Podcast Alert:

I had the immense pleasure and privilege to have Macushla Collins as the very first guest to my monthly podcast. We sat down and dissected this topic of the True Hybrid through the lens of Business Communication as well as Talent Management .

Below are some snippets of what we discussed:

Macushla Collins makes a great point that True Hybrid is based on Trust and goes both ways.

In the next clip, we discuss work life balance and how the lines are now blurred as a result of people working from home? How do you create boundaries and make it work?

You can subscribe to the channel and watch the full podcast here:

The true hybrid working model, post-COVID-19, represents a dynamic and flexible approach that offers significant benefits for both employers and employees. However, its success is fundamentally built on trust. Employers must trust their employees to work independently and deliver results, while employees must earn and maintain that trust through reliability, professionalism, and proactive engagement. Despite the calls from some business leaders for a return to full-time office work, trust remains the key to navigating the future of work. By prioritizing trust, organizations can fully realize the potential of the hybrid working model, creating a more productive, engaged, and resilient workforce.