Could Hybrid Policy Address Remote Work Fatigue?

Remote working fatigue is real and has plagued millions of workers over the past year. 

According to a JLL survey from March, workers are reporting feeling less productive and would prefer to have flexibility to choose when and where they work.

“While working from home extensively, people feel stuck in an ‘endless day’ and they are losing the notion of time,” said Flore Pradere, Research Director of Global Corporate Research at JLL. “Employees are aspiring to more balanced working patterns.”

Additionally, the survey of 3,300 employees showed that respondents want to work from home just 1.5 days each week, down from the 2 days in a similar survey conducted in April 2020.

This need for choice has led companies to push for a hybrid arrangement that merges remote and in-person working, but how they will implement this new policy is still uncertain.

Companies are approaching hybrid working in various ways. For instance, Ford Motor Company announced that it would be adopting a “flexible hybrid work model” that allows workers to stay home for work that requires concentration, and come into the office for collaborative projects.

“While the notion of hybrid work is great in theory, putting it into practice is no small task,” said Pradere. “But the companies that can keep employees engaged and committed are going to win the war for talent.”