70 Percent of Workers Say They Haven't Been
Asked for Input on Work Arrangement Flexibility
Most Employees Say Remote Work Improves
Corporate Culture
ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 7, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Fifty percent of U.S. workers indicate that they
prefer working for an organization the provides flexibility when it
comes to remote and hybrid work according to a new nationwide poll
from Eagle Hill Consulting. Additionally, half of workers (50
percent) say they would consider looking for a new job should their
employer reduce remote and hybrid work flexibility, highest among
GenZ workers (61 percent).
Only 30 percent of workers say their employer has solicited
their input on what remote and hybrid work flexibility they would
prefer, while 67 percent say remote work improves corporate
culture. Workers say their top concerns about more in-person work
include work-life balance (48 percent), commute time (41 percent),
increased costs (36 percent), stress (33 percent), and their
happiness (26 percent).
This research comes as many employers continue to increase
in-person work, while other organizations are leveraging flexible
work arrangements to recruit and retain workers in a continued
tight labor market.
Read the research infographic, "Employees Weigh In On Workplace
Flexibility: 2024," detailing the research findings.
"Employers are wise to tread carefully when making changes to
their remote and hybrid work policies," said Melissa Jezior, president and chief executive
officer of Eagle Hill Consulting. "While in-person work has
benefits, reducing the flexibility that many workers crave could
backfire in terms of employee retention, morale, and company
culture. It's important for employers to understand that workers do
see the value of in-person work, but they view some tasks as better
performed remotely and they don't want mandates."
"One troubling finding is that the vast majority of workers say
they haven't been asked about their preferences regarding remote
work. Gauging worker sentiment is a necessary step employers should
take to make informed policy decisions. While employee preferences
don't drive all business decisions, not understanding worker views
is never a good approach," Jezior said.
The nationwide survey of U.S. workers also finds that employees
see the value of in-person work. A large share of workers (56
percent) say those who work more in the office than remotely are
more likely to be successful in their jobs. Eighty-five percent of
workers say team building is managed better in person, as is
integrating new team members (84 percent), training and managing
teams (78 percent), onboarding (74 percent), kicking off a new
project (76 percent), getting a project back on track (74 percent),
performance discussions (68 percent), meetings (65 percent), giving
and receiving feedback (63 percent), brainstorming (62 percent),
and IT support (54 percent).
The research also finds:
- Employees say the benefits of returning to the workplace would
include increased socialization (46 percent), the ability to leave
work at work (35 percent), improved collaboration (33 percent), and
more productivity (32 percent).
- Workers are split on employers tracking their attendance to
ensure compliance with company remote work policies. Fifty-one
percent want their attendance tracked, while 49 percent don't.
- Thirty-four percent of workers are willing to sacrifice a
dedicated workspace in exchange for more remote work. Only 17
percent would sacrifice pay for increased remote work.
- Seventy-one percent of employees say someone they work with
directly makes their remote work flexibility decisions.
The findings are based upon the 2024 Eagle Hill Consulting
Workplace Flexibility Survey conducted by Ipsos most recently from
June 4-7, 2024. The survey included
1,453 respondents from a random sample of employees across the U.S.
Respondents were polled about their views about working
remotely.
Eagle Hill Consulting LLC is a woman-owned business that
provides unconventional management consulting services in the areas
of Strategy, Performance, Talent, and Change. The company's
expertise in delivering innovative solutions to unique challenges
spans across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. A leading
authority on employee sentiment, Eagle Hill is headquartered in the
Washington, D.C. metropolitan
area, with employees across the U.S. and offices in Boston and Seattle. More information is available at
www.eaglehillconsulting.com.
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SOURCE Eagle Hill Consulting LLC