Editorial: Flexible working a new battleground for 2024

Work from home - or return to the office?

Editorial

EDITORIAL

The worldwide Covid-19 pandemic has a lot to answer for in regard to economic, health, education and societal change, including the acceleration and embracing of working from home.

In fact, remote work became a crucial way for some industries to continue functioning through the disruptive past three years.

But prepare for 2024 to see a rebalancing of sorts when it comes to flexible working arrangements, with workplaces under pressure to not only improve productivity but also team culture.

There’s also the economic doom and gloom, mostly caused by high inflation and cost of living pressures, partly being laid at the feet of those shunning our city centres to work from their leafy suburbs.

In Wellington, public servants have been desperately pleaded with to return to the CBD to give struggling retailers a lifeline.

It’s undeniable that more flexible working hours, and not having to be in the office, has been beneficial for some. Many argue they’re more productive without having to commute, their wellbeing has improved, and they’re better able to juggle the demands of their personal life. Families, and women in particular, have celebrated the flexibility it’s given for dropping off and picking up children and juggling household chores. It’s been held up as a successful way to improve gender equality in the workplace, making work more accessible to women, who traditionally still bear the brunt of domestic chores.

Disabled employees have also benefitted from hybrid work models; another group under-represented in our labour market with untapped potential.

From an employer’s perspective however, there’s a real question around how you foster a team culture and positive workplace environment with nobody in the same room.

This battle of opinions is already playing out between One NZ and the Unite Union in Auckland, after the telco increased its expectation for contact centre staff to work three days in the office, up from two.

Unionised staff are protesting the directive, with a plan to work from home five days a week between January 15 and 26.

One NZ says the request is “to ensure our teams are set up for success to achieve great customer outcomes and to build strong team culture, at the same time as having a flexible work environment”.

The Union says One NZ has been “disrespectful to workers, dismissive of increasing cost of living and unwilling to acknowledge the role they play in exacerbating environmental impacts of requiring their employees to come to the office”.

This isn’t a New Zealand issue. It’s part of a global push to get people back together now lockdowns have long ended. A range of organisations are directing employees to return, including the likes of Amazon, Australia’s Commonwealth Bank, General Motors, Meta and Disney.

Even Zoom, the video calling app synonymous with remote working during the pandemic, has ordered staff back to the office.

It’s a situation many will likely ponder over the summer break, trying to find the right balance between supporting wellbeing while enhancing workplace culture and retaining staff with an increased desire for flexibility.

It’s a complex puzzle to make fit, but we should all expect a growing requirement to show face and turn up as we continue to reshape our post-pandemic world.