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The findings of a recent CBRE survey have revealed the importance of flexibility in both employee and employer decision making, with positive outcomes for both, including increased productivity and innovative thinking, that employers can also capitalise on.
The global real estate advisor, sought the views of over 20,000 employees globally to understand their views on the changing world of work. Flexibility about where and when work takes place was particularly important to workers, with around 40 per cent of workers both globally and in the UK, citing flexibility as the primary factor in assessing job opportunities, with a company’s commitment to work-life balance another crucial factor.
Half of survey respondents (50 per cent), and more than half of remote and hybrid workers (54 per cent), reported an increased level of trust in their employer compared to pre-pandemic, which CBRE says presents organisations with a positive basis to engage with employees.
The research also showed that the experience of working flexibly has generated positive consequences for employees across wellbeing, productivity, and connectivity. More than half (52 per cent) of hybrid employees in the UK said their relationship with their colleagues had improved since the pandemic, compared to office first (44 per cent) and fully remote (41 per cent). When asked if they feel connected to the work of both their immediate team and other teams in their organisation, a significant number of hybrid employees agreed (60 per cent and 56 per cent respectively), more than office-first employees (56 per cent and 48 per cent) and remote employees (45 per cent and 41 per cent).
Furthermore, the desire for flexibility appears to be permanent. Globally, the proportion of workers who want to work solely from the office falls from 38 per cent at the time of the survey to just 20 per cent when considering the future. The number of respondents wanting to work as ‘predominantly hybrid’ rises from 16 per cent to 26 per cent globally, and from 20 per cent to 30 per cent in the UK.
However, CBRE found there is a definitive long-term need for the office. When asked about their ideal future work schedule, 90 per cent of those surveyed still want to be in the workplace at least some of the time.
Georgina Fraser, Head of Human Capital, CBRE UK said: Our insights have shown us for a while now that flexible working is considered important to a large part of the workforce. However, what is new, is the quantifiable evidence that flexible, hybrid working can also benefit the employer. If companies can harness the increase in trust and connectivity that is created by hybrid working and use it to fuel creativity and innovation, it could be a win-win in unexpected ways.”
Richard Holberton, Head of EMEA occupier research at CBRE added: “In an environment where company leaders are seeking to find workable arrangements that reflect both individual preferences and corporate culture objectives, a hybrid offering has shown it can strengthen bonds rather than weaken them. Hybrid can be an unexpected gift for team leaders if they can harness it effectively.”
FMJ in conjunction with Grundon Waste Management is pleased to launch the 2023 waste management and recycling survey which examines the ways in which FMs approach their waste management responsibilities.
In this, the sixth year for the annual appraisal, we know there is a greater opportunity than ever for FMs to reappraise their waste and recycling operations and help their organisations meet the growing pressure to achieve ESG goals.
We want to learn how FMs have adapted to the legislative, economic and societal changes of the past year and how they plan to meet the latest waste and recycling targets.
In this survey we’ve posed a series of questions which include insights into FMs’ waste management strategy and targets, how they’re moving towards zero waste targets, and the importance of not just meeting compliance targets but also ESG goals.
The results of the 2023 survey will be published in FMJ magazine and form the basis of a white paper co-written by FMJ and the experts at Grundon on how to approach waste and recycling strategies.
To take part click here.
