New research out this week showed there has been a rise in the number of employers reporting heightened productivity thanks to home and hybrid working. A total of 1,196 employers and staff were polled in October and November 2021 by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). The findings were part of its ‘An update on flexible and hybrid working practices’ report, revealing 41% said new working methods had boosted productivity, a rise from 33% in 2021. In contrast, 18% of employers surveyed said the rise in home and hybrid working has had a negative effect on productivity within their business, a drop from 23% in 2020.

Disparity between employer and employee working preferences 

Despite the improvements to productivity, the findings showed possible discrepancies emerging between employer preferences and those of staff. Around 25% of employers claimed they wanted staff to be based in the office full-time, whereas 39% of employees would prefer to work from home all or most of the time in future. According to CIPD senior policy adviser, Claire McCartney, organisations should work together with employees to develop and execute hybrid and flexible working practices. “It’s great that many employers are embracing the benefits of more hybrid and flexible ways of working, however it’s important that they work with employees to find solutions that work for both the organisation and individuals. Everyone should have the chance to benefit from more choice about when, where and how they work. This can lead to increased wellbeing and engagement and enhanced performance, all of which can lead to productivity gains many employers are reporting,” she stated.

Unfavourable treatment?

However, the report also showed 24% of staff had concerns about unfavourable treatment whilst working from home or in a hybrid way, whilst 48% of employers noted possible inclusion risks that may stem from hybrid working models. McCartney added: “This is a crucial moment for flexible working, but a mismatch on expectations and an ad hoc approach could set back progress.” Whereas, according to head of consultancy at Timewise, Amy Butterworth, businesses should take employee preferences into account: “The best employers will equip their leaders to find out what their team's working preferences are, explore together the needs of the customers and colleagues and find a system that supports these. It can feel more complicated to establish but it will be easier to sustain because your people will be happier,” she said.