Office, home or both? Hybrid working set to become norm across the region

The pandemic has seen large sections of the UK economy embrace flexible and modern methods of working and many businesses have already announced that hybrid working is here to stay for its staff.

But as more and more businesses are facing the fact that some of their workforce enjoy and benefit from home working, there are others where employees miss the atmosphere of working in an office and and are fed up with unreliable broadband connections, questionable video call background effects and makeshift living room offices at home.

Many business leaders believe hybrid working will remain after the pandemic despite reports last week that the Government is planning to make working from home a default position.

One employment expert says the Government intervention was not needed, as firms decide what will work best for them and their staff when the lockdown finally ends.

Neil Lloyd, managing director of FBC Manby Bowdler, a law firm with offices across the region, says legislation around flexible working already exists and he sees no real need for further change post-pandemic.

“While I certainly welcome the launch of a flexible working taskforce and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working from home for the past 18 months, business owners must keep control of where the work is to be done.

“Current legislation already allows for team members to request to work from home and flexibly. And pre-pandemic here at FBC Manby Bowdler, where there hasn’t been an obvious impact on work delivery or client experience, we have more often than not granted it. The current laws work and I don’t see any need for a change in legislation.”

FBC Manby Bowdler’s head of employment law, Julia Fitzsimmons, also warns that employers not previously as open to flexible working requests from staff may find a changed landscape post-pandemic.

“Employers will need to take into account that where flexible working has worked well during Covid then the reasons to refuse a flexible working request may need to be considered carefully, with any potential discrimination issues also taken into account," she says.

“With the proportion of workers in the UK working entirely at home relatively low until the Covid pandemic, these numbers were likely to grow in any event with most employers reconsidering their operating models. Many employers are now looking at hybrid working, with staff working some of their time from home or another remote location and some time on site.”

HomeServe, one of the biggest employers in the Black Country, is evolving a hybrid working system at its Walsall head office.

"We’re working through plans with our people, and spending as long as we need to make sure we offer as much flexibility as we can, which takes time. We are also ensuring everyone has the chance to contribute ideas and suggestions as part of this process.

“We won’t all be returning to the office as soon as restrictions are lifted, as we’re focused on taking it slowly, thinking about safety, and balancing the needs of our people and our business," the home repairs company said.

Tom Esler, partner at mfg Solicitors which has offices Telford, Ludlow and Kidderminster, says it has seen a gradual increase in people returning to its offices, but stressed the importance that staff were comfortable to do so.

"Moving forward there is likely to be no absolute obligation that legal services must be provided from an office-based environment. Like many companies we are likely to see a hybrid situation where people can mix office working with homeworking when required. We will always do what is best for our staff and our clients," he adds.

Kate Shoesmith, deputy chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, says businesses and workers across the UK have proven that long-term remote working is possible and beneficial for some.

"It's right that employees should have the right to request flexible working arrangements. However, remote working won't be the best policy for everyone.

"Individual employers should think seriously about what is best for their business and consult with their employees before deciding their stance on remote or flexible working. This is a business conversation with their people, it does not need intervention from Government," she adds.

Unions have warned of a risk of a two-tier workforce, divided between those who can work from home being given flexibility, and those who cannot being given none.

Gareth Hughes, MD of Wellington-based recruitment firm ethero, says in some sectors – such as industrial, manufacturing, food manufacturing and warehousing – flexible working won’t be able to happen.

"I sort of agree with the position of the union's that the more that flexible working is pushed the more it will create a two-tier system where a lot of people will feel left out.

"How manufacturers etc deal with that, when they are already quite far behind others in terms of worker engagement anyway, will be the biggest challenge in the industrial workforce going forward.

"The incredible complexity, volume and speed requirements of the manufacturing and food production sectors will inevitably struggle to offer more flexibility to their workforces and then probably suffer as a result."

Last month figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed the proportion of people working from home more than doubled in 2020 during the pandemic, though it remained a minority of overall workers across the UK.

The Conservative 2019 manifesto before the pandemic promised to legislate for flexible working, while ministers have talked about a "balanced return to work".

Treasury minister Jesse Norman says: "Of course we want a balanced return to work.

"This is going to be very company or organisation specific and any guidance the Government puts out is going to have to recognise that."