Employers Must Ensure Hybrid Working Does Not Have a Negative Impact on Staff Says Questionmark

• Workers demanding hybrid working may not have fully considered the consequences and employers must be vigilant to avoid missteps

Research suggests up to 83 percent of workers want hybrid working after the pandemic, but experts now warn that employees may come to regret their demands once they experience the daily realities.

“Online assessment tools are the ideal way for managers to understand progress during such a period of change. They provide real information on what tasks employees can and can’t carry out effectively from home and they allow firms to create working arrangements based on evidence.”

Questionmark, the online assessment provider, is urging employers to be vigilant against missteps that may arise if irreversible decisions are made based on limited evidence.

Research reveals tangible advantages from hybrid working such as a reduction in daily commuting, which is associated with stress and fatigue. ² However, it can also lead to longer hours, with a home-working day shown to be on average half an hour longer.

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Other negative impacts include “Zoom fatigue”, searches for which exploded within days of pandemic lockdowns being announced.  Following lockdowns, it was also observed that systems and policies had been designed for traditional working patterns, so processes such as onboarding were no longer suitable. ⁵

More than half of workers in a recent McKinsey survey said they want at least three days of remote work per week, yet the strongest message to come from the survey of 5,000 employees was they “don’t know what they want”. ⁶ Assessments can play a vital role in making sure the negative impacts of hybrid working do not materialize.

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John Kleeman, Founder of Questionmark, said: “The demand for hybrid working is clear but the evidence is nuanced. Employers and employees need to be alive to the risk of unforeseen consequences. They must consider the impact of changes to working patterns and maintain open lines of communication.”

“Online assessment tools are the ideal way for managers to understand progress during such a period of change. They provide real information on what tasks employees can and can’t carry out effectively from home and they allow firms to create working arrangements based on evidence.”

Questionmark is urging employers to equip their leadership and management with the tools and technology they need to stay in close contact with the evolving needs of staff. These needs are likely to change as new working models, including various forms of hybrid work, develop.

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