Most people would rather quit their job than be left without an option for hybrid working, a report from Microsoft has claimed.
The software giant recently polled 2,046 employees and 504 HRDMs in the UK about their perspective on work and office life, and found that 51% of current hybrid workers would not accept this option being removed.
Hybrid working has also transformed from a “nice to have” feature, to a “must-have”, Microsoft further claims, saying how 59% of HR staff saw hybrid working’s positive effects on employee mental health.
Conflict ahead?
It would seem, though, that some businesses are yet to get the memo, as recent data from the Office for National Statistics showed resignations and job switches at the highest they’ve been in the past two decades - a trend dubbed “the great resignation”.
Hybrid working may have positive effects all around, but it’s not an easy thing to implement. In fact, Microsoft found there are numerous challenges, particularly when it comes to onboarding. More than a third (36%) of UK workers who started a new job in the past 18 onths have gone through their entire onboarding process without ever visiting the physical office.
Virtual onboarding challenges
As a result, they struggle to form working relationships, miss having a manager or team member in the room, to help with questions and collaboration, struggle learning new tools, and find it difficult to earn the confidence of their colleagues. Some even said they had trouble soaking up company culture.
HR staff share this sentiment, as for more than a third (36%), it’s hard to provide proper training while onboarding remotely, or to provide easy access to necessary information. Some are even worried about upholding their organization’s culture and reputation.
But these roadblocks can be overcome, relatively easily, with the right software, 37% of HR staff agrees.
“The pandemic has proven that organizations can trust their people to be productive wherever they are," noted Nick Hedderman, Director, Modern Work Business Group, Microsoft UK. "They now have an opportunity to reshape work around individual roles, preferences and even personal lives. This is achievable through tech-enabled hybrid working models, which supports the creation of a rich digital culture to benefit everyone, helping to attract and retain top talent.”
“HR professionals, leadership teams and IT can work together using digital tools such as Microsoft Viva to create an employee experience platform to serve their organizational needs, such as making the onboarding process rewarding and inclusive for new staff. In doing so, there is a much higher chance of those new hires becoming long-term employees.” ends Hedderman.
