Plans to let workers choose their hours, working environments and holidays have fared even worse, with the share of respondents pursuing these policies plummeting from 85% in 2021 to 43% today. HSF Partner Nick Wright notes, "In the UK, office attendance is becoming increasingly important to many employers, with some mandating a full-time return to the office and others making bonuses conditional upon minimum levels of office attendance."
Employers are clearly pushing back on the intensely flexible working models necessitated by the pandemic, which many believe can discourage collaboration, limit mentorship and make it difficult to maintain a company culture. “A big issue we hear about is the stickiness of the culture and company loyalty,” says Jumabhoy. “What makes staff feel connected to their employer if they’re never around a physical premises or colleagues? The relationship becomes more transactional.” Flexible arrangements might also be harming employees’ prospects, as a clear majority of companies (71%) say those who work physically in the office will inevitably have more opportunities.
Employers’ efforts to reclaim control over when and where work is performed are most visible in the push to return staff to the office. “As we’ve headed into economic headwinds, the pressure to get people back in the office has increased,” says Doug Evans, General...
Two Canada-based steel companies, Farjess Inc. and Royal Canadian Steel Inc., along with their part-owner and president, Feroz Jessani, have agreed to pay $19 million to resolve allegations that t...