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| | | | | Back to the office? How employers are reacting to the world of flexible working | | | | | | The way we work is changing - and the debate over working from home and flexible working is still going on across the country.
The pandemic changed the way many companies looked at home working and now many workers consider flexible working to be a must-have.
In August, Acas reported that more than a third of employers had seen an increase in staff working from home compared with 2022. Its chief executive Susan Clews said: "It's important for businesses to work with staff to agree suitable ways of working for specific roles, taking account of individual circumstances and regularly reviewing arrangements." We at BusinessLive have been covering this debate since the pandemic and we've continued to look at the issue this year as many business leaders have pushed for a return to offices.
The boss of digital giant Booking.comtold us: "You can't develop a career by staying at home in your pyjamas every day."
Glenn Fogel, who was opening the company's new £80m head office in Manchester, told BusinessLive: "For our company, we want people to come to the office. They don't need to come all the time but we want people to spend time in the office too as we think there is something beneficial to people sitting together talking." He added: "You really have to work with people face to face but you have to have a flexible schedule." |
| | | | | | Meanwhile the global chief executive of advertising giant WPP told BusinessLive employees are more likely to get a pay rise and be promoted if they come into the office. Mark Read, who was visiting the company's new Manchester landmark office, said companies are more successful if their staff spend more time in the office rather than working from home and that leads to employees being rewarded. The office market is far from dead. In July, we reported on engineering consultancy Mott MacDonald's move to a larger Birmingham office to host its growing team. As well as investing in offices, companies across the country are looking at flexible working options to support their staff. In August, we reported on care group HC-One and its move to offer what it says are more flexible work contracts for staff in some of its homes in a bid to ease staff shortages in its sector. It says the "Flex Force" initiative, which allows for flexible work across multiple homes across northern England and Scotland, has been good for retention and recruitment. Meanwhile in the South West, digital marketing agency Optix Solutions launched a flexible working scheme to allow staff to work from overseas locations so that they can enjoy time with family living abroad. We'd like to know what you think about WFH - why not join our community on LinkedIn to have your say? Alistair Houghton Editor, BusinessLive |
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