Who actually wants to return to work?

Long story short: Who actually wants to return to work?

June 18, 2021 11:59 AM

Employers and employees have reached an impasse when it comes to navigating post-COVID worklife.

As employers push for a return to the physical workplace, employees are more resistant than ever: 54% of employees would leave their current role if not given flexibility around where and when they work, according to a survey by Ernst and Young.

Our top stories from the week explore the differing opinions and consequences around work beyond the pandemic. New research from Arizent, the parent company of Employee Benefit News, takes a deep dive into how employers plan to navigate these communication challenges, through greater acceptance of remote work, revamped tech platforms and increased safety protocols.

At the end of the day, employees want support: for their mental health, their work-life balance and the relationship they have with their employer. Fostering open communication and making your employees feel safe and heard is a good step to finding what works now and into the future.

The future of work: Employers, employees and the long road to compromise

More than a year into the coronavirus pandemic, employers and employees are searching for an answer: What does the future of work have in store? Despite agreeing a return will be gradual, these populations disagree on important points concerning the cadence of remote work and how to support a workplace in flux.

Bridging this communication gap will require continuous conversations about the role of technology, supportive employee benefits and safety strategies to ensure that business can thrive and employees can bring their best selves to work.

Read more:

The future of work: Employers, employees and the long road to compromise

Office reopening strategies don’t include mandated vaccinations

A successful vaccine rollout has made it possible for companies to begin planning office reopenings, but it won’t necessarily have an immediate impact on return-to-work strategies.

Eighty-two percent of employers have communicated the value of the COVID vaccine to their teams, and nearly half have implemented programs to boost vaccinations. Still, 72% of employers do not plan to require proof of inoculation for employees who are returning to the workplace, according to a new survey by Willis Towers Watson. More than half are performing or considering onsite or near-site vaccine administration for employees, 62% are providing or considering providing pay for time spent getting vaccinated and two in 10 respondents are offering or considering providing financial incentives for getting vaccinated.

Read more:

Office reopening strategies don’t include mandated vaccinations

Enough is enough: Majority of working moms aren’t planning on returning to work

Sixty-nine percent of working mothers plan to remain out of work to care for their children, according to a survey by TopResume, a resume writing service. Of the mothers who left the workforce during COVID, 70% said they voluntarily left to accommodate their children and 30% said they were laid off.

As employers plan for a hiring surge, the field will be devoid of top female talent: just 14% of working mothers are actively searching for new employment, TopResume found. This comes with a catastrophic cost: if a woman stays out of the workforce for just two years, she will lose a quarter of a million dollars in income over her lifetime. McKinsey estimates women’s employment levels won’t rebound to pre-pandemic levels until 2024, compared to 2022 for their male counterparts.

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Enough is enough: Majority of working moms aren’t planning on returning to work

Every company needs a WFH playbook. Here’s where to start

Operations and HR leads around the world are grappling with a number of critical questions around when and how their employees should return to work. When is it safe? Even if itis safe, will employees want to go to the office? How much should working from home be a part of our culture moving forward?

There’s no one clear map that every single company should follow when looking at the pros and cons. And there shouldn’t be. But having some sort of playbook — or at least a set of guiding principles — for the role that remote work should play in a company would be a very helpful starting point for any C-suite exec or team leader embarking on this process.

Read more:

Every company needs a WFH playbook. Here’s where to start