Despite the huge increase in homeworking during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the extensive research which has found that homeworking and hybrid working has led to an increase in productivity, new research from Ricoh Europe has found that 65% of employers remain unconvinced that homeworking will benefit them.
Homeworking
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) highlighted in a recent report that homeworking increased in the UK from 6.7% in 2019, to 12.2% in 2020. They caution however that “the 2020 figure [should not be viewed] as a definitive indicator. It relies on self-reporting in an unusual year with high rates of enforced home working. And many workers remain uncertain of the future policy in their workplace….[Nevertheless,] all indications point to working from home and hybrid working being significantly higher after the pandemic than before.“
Furthermore, a number of studies have shown that homeworking, especially as part of a hybrid working arrangement, led to an increase in productivity. A survey conducted by TalkTalk, for instance, found that 58% of workers reported that they were more productive working at home, compared with working at the office.
Moreover, a survey carried out by ConnectSolutions found that those who were able to work remotely at least part of the time were 77% more productive, with 30% able to complete tasks in less time and 24% able to produce more work in the same allotted time. And when the Great Place to Work Institute assessed the productivity of 800,000 employees working for 715 Fortune 500 companies, they found that “most people reported stable or even increased productivity levels after employees started working from home.“
Doubts About Homeworking
Nevertheless, despite the abundance of new research showing that homeworking and hybrid working have a positive impact upon productivity and the economy, new research from Ricoh Europe has found that 65% of employers remain unconvinced about the benefits of allowing employees to work from home for them.
In a poll of 1500 decision makers, Ricoh Europe found that:-
- 65% of employers don't trust their employees to work properly whilst working from home
- 39% of the decision makers were of the view that employees do not work as hard or effectively working from home, compared with at the office. Despite this, just 19% of employers reported a decrease in productivity
- 42% of employers reported a reluctance by employees to a return to full time office working due to health and safety concerns, and that they could lose staff if they forced the issue
Nevertheless, despite their lack of faith in homeworking and hybrid working, 57% of the employers believed that had to invest in new flexible working technology if they were to remain competitive in terms of attracting new talent
Reaction
Reacting to the doubts expressed about homeworking by employers, the CEO of Ricoh Europe, David Mills, stated: "Having an office-based workforce is vitally important to the success of our business, as it is for most across the continent. The office will never go away – not least as the undisputed environment for optimal productivity, ideation, and developing relationships with colleagues."
Mill added: "The challenge for business leaders is to remain mindful that remote and hybrid working are two different things. It stands to reason that less commuting, a greater sense of flexibility, and having the trust of your manager are significant contributing factors to a more empowered and inspired workforce. This puts the onus on leaders to make their hybrid work model as successful as possible."
The senior resourcing and inclusion adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Claire McCartney, stated: "It's disappointing that after 18 months of home working for many, this research suggests that some employers still have misconceptions about it. These findings, like previous CIPD data, clearly show that workers are just as productive when working from home, so organisations need to dispel any doubts around this."
