Workers, employers both favour hybrid work model, survey says

In many industries, working a few days a week from home has become normal practice.

At first, employers pushed back, asking many to return to the office. But a new survey conducted by recruiting company Robert Half found those employers are no longer in the majority.

“They’ve sort of had a reset at home in terms of achieving a balance in terms of work-life,” says Marc Kingsbury in Langford.

“We have all these tools now at our disposal that we change for the better,” said Andrea Jensen in Langford.

Fifty-four per cent of hiring managers favoured a hybrid work model, compared to 49 per cent of employees surveyed.

“I think the time has ended where it's employer-favoured,” said Jensen.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about demand and supply,” said Mark Colgate, professor at the Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria.

Colgate says the labour shortage caused by the pandemic caused many employers to adapt.

“Employers have realized that taking a really tough stance on coming into the office five days a week is going to put them competitive disadvantage,” said Colgate.

He says a hybrid work model is a good compromise for both the employer and the employee.

For some businesses, having workers no longer coming into the office full-time can have its challenges.

“Wherever there is a loser, there is a winner,” said Colgate.

Business owners in Victoria’s downtown core have complained they have taken a financial hit with many people now working from home.

“I’ll say that it has stabilized which is hugely positive,” said Tara Black, owner and CEO of Origin Gluten-Free Bakery.

In the suburbs of Langford, Origin Gluten-Free Bakery has seen a shift in their clientele recently.

“We’re seeing a number of people looking to create those office gatherings, when they are all working from home but they still need that connectivity,” said Black.

Another trend, people looking for a change of scenery, choosing to work from the bakery instead of their homes.

“We’re seeing that a lot more often over the course of the last eight or nine months,” said the business owner.

On the lower end, the survey found 38 per cent of hiring managers saw everyone working in the office as an ideal situation, while 28 per cent of professionals saw it as ideal.

“We will never go back to a five-day working week where employees are always in the office,” said Colgate.

Many feel they can be just as productive at home as they can be in the office, without the commute.