Hybrid work, essential to attract talent

Poly has just released a report that examines how organizations are responding to the growing demand from employees for optimal workplaces to work from. Under the title Recruit, Retain and Grow, the Poly study analyzes workplace policies, culture and well-being by collecting the opinion of more than 2,500 company managers in 16 countries. In this sense, the attitudes and expectations after the pandemic that the research addresses show that workers are going to work in person at the office an average of three days a week, with Wednesday being the most popular in practically all the countries of the study.

“At Poly we believe that being able to facilitate hybrid work is not the end goal, but the starting point for the competitiveness of organizations today. Our latest study supports this view of Poly,” says John Goodwin, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at Poly. “We find that employees support companies that take a holistic approach to defining their culture, offer flexibility in where and how they work, and provide the right tools to perform at their best.”

Hybrid work is not the final goal, but the starting point for the competitiveness of organizations today

Among the main conclusions of the Poly report are that hiring and retention of talent are at risk: More than half (56%) of organizations believe that if they do not undertake hybrid work plans and processes, they will begin to lose staff and they will not be able to attract new talent. This stands out especially in the Asia-Pacific region, where 60% of managers say so, compared to 55% in the countries of the EME region (Europe and the Middle East) and 53% in the American continent. In the case of Spain, this vision is shared at very similar levels: 55% consider it this way.

At a general level, companies have already noticed these effects: 58% globally indicate that they have suffered greater staff turnover since the start of the pandemic; 54% in the case of Spain, very much in line with those of neighboring countries such as France, Germany and the United Kingdom.

The survey also reveals that companies’ approach to hybrid working plays an increasingly important role in retaining workers. In fact, regarding the question of the main reasons of the employees for their departure during the last year, the organizations consulted highlighted that:

• workers found better professional opportunities; this is indicated by 19% of the organizations consulted globally,
• employees did not have the desired flexibility in terms of hybrid work, (reason expressed by 16% globally)
• workers were unhappy with how their companies handled the COVID-19 pandemic (9% global)

Even so, Spain is quite different from the general averages, proof that our labor market has different characteristics and moves differently. In our country, in fact, companies highlight that professional growth continues to be the main reason for the departure of employees (26%), compared to flexibility (14%) or dissatisfaction with the management of Covid (6%)

The hybrid strategy and the level playing field are not well aligned: globally, less than half of organizations (48%) say they are fully ready to work in a hybrid mode, while 37% say they are ready in the short term , but not having tackled long-term planning. In the case of Spain, 39% of companies indicate that they are fully adapted, while 45% indicate that they are adapted in the short term, but do not have a long-term plan.

However, 52% globally consider that hybrid work is a turning point and that they seek to return to the office and 19% indicate that they are already requiring their employees to return to work fully face-to-face.

The countries of the EME region do not stray far from this global trend, since the vision of hybrid work as something temporary is reflected in 51% of the companies surveyed in this region. Despite this, Spain is, together with the United Kingdom, the country where this vision is least shared, with 45%.

Other considerations pointed out by the companies consulted are:

• that employees should have the right to apply for flexible work from their first day. 80% of managers at a global level consider it so, while in Spain 86% indicate it, which makes it the country where this vision is most shared, and far from the average in the EME region (79% )
• that there should be clear rules on the number of days that employees must spend in the office (84% say this worldwide and in Spain, 94%)
• that, given that employees will be more sporadically in the offices, the next step will be to have offices with smaller spaces (this is indicated by 22% worldwide and 18% in Spain).
• The lack of culture and well-being of the workforce has repercussions on productivity: 72% of the companies consulted worldwide (74% in Spain) indicate that they have registered an increase in productivity as a result of the change to hybrid work, with a average increase worldwide of 27% (28.5% in Spain).

However, 60% globally agree that if employees are not in the office, they will not be able to build the relationships they need to progress in their careers. For Spain, the figure is below these averages, estimated at 55%.

Other aspects revealed by the Poly report on this chapter are:

• Companies are concerned that there is a harmful culture of work overload (this is indicated by 49% globally and 42% in particular in Spain)
• Only half of the companies affirm that they are taking measures to prevent people from feeling that they have to always be connected (51% globally, 52% in Spain)
• The vast majority of organizations believe that remote work has made it more difficult than ever to foster and retain work culture.

This is pointed out by 74% of those consulted globally, a proportion similar to that of Spain and practically identical by region.

• Equanimity and evolution; the key to recruit, retain and grow in the era of hybrid work

According to Poly’s analysis, most companies see technology and experiences as the face of the company, not just their offices. This is expressed by 64% of companies on a global scale, being very similar in the breakdown by region. In the case of Spain, the percentage drops to 59%. Expanding the quotient of available spaces rather than defining whether the space is virtual, offsite, remote, or hybrid will help companies develop a strong hybrid working strategy.

• Equalize the digital experience through meetings where the conditions to hold them are equitable for the staff

Companies with this vision of the future are investing or plan to invest equally in software and devices, with the most shared technological bets being cloud applications and collaboration software (92% globally), followed by investment in headsets (89% ) cameras (86%) and speakers (83%). The data at the particular level of Spain are practically similar, which indicates that there is a unanimous commitment to these tech improvements.

• Match the experience in the office through its residency

77% of companies (79% in Spain) say they are redesigning their office with more open areas, collaboration spaces, quiet areas and others for socializing. Ultimately, companies must take care of their employees, who will be the ones who mainly use these spaces.