Data Shows Return-to-Work Mandates Should Consider a More Flexible Approach
HireQuest reports remote work and return-to-work strategies are more complicated than many executives and employees acknowledge.
HireQuest, a global staffing and talent management company with more than 500 franchises around the world, has released a report detailing the complexities of remote work and return-to-work mandates. The whitepaper, Navigating Remote and Hybrid Work: Impacts on U.S. Companies and the Economy, provides an in-depth view of these complex topics.
The report shows that data doesn’t always align with company beliefs. For example, 86% of executives say they want employees to return to workplaces to improve productivity. One survey cited by HireQuest shows that 85% of managers simply don’t trust their employees to remain productive while working from home.
Despite these concerns, data shows that moving workers from the office to the home can increase productivity by 13%. When Stanford surveyed remote employees, 53% said they could focus better at home, and up to 29% said they’re more productive while working from home.
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These contradictions likely mean employers and employees should consider more flexible, hybrid workplace strategies.
“Hybrid structures seem to give everyone what they want. Requirements to spend some time in the office don’t hurt the productivity gained from at-home work. What hybrid work looks like, however, could differ tremendously depending on the organization. It’s important to take it on a case-by-case basis,” says HireQuest CEO Rick Hermanns. “We see the information shared in this report key for our franchises to be informed and share with their clients as leaders in the people business.”
Remote Work’s Impact on the Economy
The HireQuest white paper also examines how shifting paradigms affect the economy. Some findings show that remote work has:
- Decreased foot traffic in downtown areas
- Lowered local tax revenues
- Decreased demand for office supplies
- Lowered revenues from parking fees, public transportation, and commuter taxes
- Increased demand for suburban housing
- Stressed suburban infrastructure
HireQuest, Inc. is a nationwide franchisor of direct dispatch, executive search, and commercial staffing solutions for HireQuest Direct, HireQuest, Snelling, HireQuest Health, TradeCorp, MRINetwork, SearchPath Global, and Northbound Executive Search franchised offices around the globe. Through its international network of over 500 franchisee-owned offices, HireQuest provides employment for approximately 73,000 individuals annually who work for customers in numerous industries, including construction, light industrial, manufacturing, hospitality, clerical, medical, travel, financial services, and event services.
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