The support for hybrid or flexible working has seen its fair share of peaks and troughs over the years, differently from employers and employees’ side, notwithstanding the disruption caused by the pandemic. An internal survey done by Japanese technology major Fujitsu before and during the pandemic is a case in point - more than 74% of its 80,000 employees considered the office to be the best place to work before the pandemic forced all of them to work from home. By March 2020, only 15% of Fujitsu employees considered the office to be the best place to work. Some 30% said the best place was their homes, and the remaining 55% favored a mix of home and office—a hybrid model.
It is easy to point out why many employees love hybrid or flexible working - they save enormous time, money, and energy on daily commutes, and often find less distractions at home. On the other hand, employers have for long worried that it is hard to measure output or productivity while working remotely.
In recent months, many large companies have made headlines announcing a mandatory return to office, asking their employees to work from office anywhere from two to five days a week. The ‘return-to-office’ mandates have in turn received expected push back from some employees, but curiously, many others are happy and eager to return.
This dissenting cohort fundamentally believes that working remotely can substantially affect one’s career advancement. The most clear insight into this thinking came from a recent global survey of over 9,500 employees conducted by Unispace, where 81% of employees surveyed from India believe that remote work limits career prospects such as pay rises, bonuses, and promotions. Surprisingly, Indian employers echoed this sentiment, with 96% indicating career limitations for those not in the workplace.
Separately, a Krea University and Zoom survey of working women in India, conducted in early 2023, found that 50% of hybrid workers perceive that currently women’s promotions are more negatively affected than that of their male counterparts, in a hybrid work model. 44% of hybrid workers perceived a similar negative effect on networking opportunities available to female employees. Further, women who enjoy greater flexibility to work from home also report a higher gender bias.
There are several theories to explain these perceptions of hybrid or remote working detrimental to long term career growth - a primary one is the reduced visibility of remote workers. They often struggle to gain recognition for their contributions due to physical absence from the office.
Additionally, remote workers encounter fewer opportunities for mentorship and networking, which are crucial components of career development. Lending credence to this theory, most of the women workers at a junior level participating in Krea-Zoom survey did not choose the hybrid option, despite it being offered or even mandated. As many as 35% of respondents below 30 years of age opted for in-person work, the survey noted.
Then there is a lingering perception that remote employees are less committed, which can hinder their progression within the organization. A survey by HBR revealed that managers typically believe that workers who work from home at least one day a week are likely to be less productive than workers in the office - with a significant proportion of former estimating a 10-15% range in worker productivity loss.
Perhaps this explains why a significant proportion of Indian employees is voluntarily opting to return to the workplace, as per the Unispace survey. The study indicates that as many as 39% of employees express a preference for in-office work arrangements while nearly half (47%) of India's workforce now spends four or more days a week in the office, only slightly below the global average of 50%.
Evidently, the tide is turning. As more and more professionals are leaning towards the traditional office environment, the hybrid work format may be losing its luster. That said, it will probably take some time before office attendance matches the pre-pandemic levels as it is still 30 percent lower than before. However, with people recognizing the undeniable advantages that a physical office brings to professional growth and corporate culture, the general consensus seems to be in favor of a gradual return to the physical office.
This article is authored by Abi Roni Mattom, Country Director, Unispace, India
