Is Hybrid working here to stay?

It is well reported that we will now see an interesting test on the return to work as the household bills of many start to increase in addition to the tax increases we all face. The logical way for many to face the burden is to work from home and cut commuting costs.

It is going to be a difficult time. Restaurants are already talking of price increases over the next year which could see many prices increase by 50%, even more. Will the consumer accept these increases? If not, what happens. The industry has already lost 10% of its restaurants, could this now double?

Many understandably argue that hybrid working is now here to stay and it is inevitable that city centres will need to accept the changes and adapt. However, is this true?

The accepted wisdom seems to be that the working week in offices will be 3 days with two working from home. However, there are others who question whether this has longevity. Their argument is that the WFH move was determined more by poor work cultures and office environments but once the lessons are learnt, as better working environments are developed, so a transition back to the office will begin. It is expected that this will be a 3-5 year journey as too many simply did not listen and change; it is only now that companies are responding. Many thought they could demand a return but have found that this is a far less easy task than was hoped.

There has been a recent shift to a stronger focus on the workplace experience and this includes a lot of work taking place on design, the environment, sustainability, nutrition, well-being, and services.

The argument is simple. People will come to a positive environment which enriches their lives and makes them feel wanted. Where it all went wrong is that too many offices tried to be high stress, demanding environments, Alpha environments which appealed to some and lost others.

There are also those who argue that over the next year or so, there will be the first signs of those working in offices being promoted above those who work from home; that clients respond better to those who believe in personal relationships and professional workplaces. It maybe a 5-year journey but it is believed that the workplace will return to full strength.

5 years seems like a long time. The odds are that it can be sooner but this will be determined by how companies invest into their environments and their people. Companies want to see the best option for productivity so they are open to ideas. The question is who has the ideas and vision to help make a difference?