Hybrid work does not equal the end of city-based business in London

News
Joanne Swann
aerial photography of London skyline during daytime

Increased hybrid working has not signalled the death of city-based working, but managers are grappling with five big challenges that this new way of working poses, finds a new study by King’s Business School and The Policy Institute, King’s College London.

Undertaken by Dr Amanda Jones at King’s Business School, Visiting Professor Mark Kleinman at the Policy Institute, and Jiyoun Chang, the report, which is based on interviews with senior managers, followed a survey of 2000 London-based employees and reveals that hybrid working isn’t as unpopular amongst employers in the city as people might expect.

Employers see the increased flexibility provided by hybrid working as largely positive but stress that this doesn’t come without challenges. Key areas of concern are recruitment and performance management, which have become more complex and are critical priorities in the face of greater remote working. In many ways, this has put more stress on line managers, who are now tasked with providing remote support and feedback. In a similar vein, employers are now also having to consider how to enable the flexibility many employees, including new recruits, demand at the same time as treating workers fairly when some can, and some cannot undertake their job roles remotely.

Nonetheless, employers emphasised that two or three days of hybrid working is their preference; the research suggests that this has become the new norm in London offices, much like full-time in-person work was the standard prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Amanda Jones commented:

We’ve seen businesses, like HSBC, respond to hybrid working by strategically downsizing larger offices but moving to a preferred location, all whilst accepting that hybrid work is here to stay. But this is very far from the end of the story – hybrid working is creating new challenges and changing the role of a manager quite profoundly.

Dr Amanda Jones, King’s Business School

Dr Jones and Professor Kleinman uncovered five common challenges the interviewees, all senior managers in large London organisations from across different industries, are facing:

1. Inconsistent perceptions: Views differ between employers and employees, as well as between different employee groups on the benefits and drawbacks of returning to the office, making it challenging to establish a shared understanding of optimal working methods.

2. Reversing or incorporating changes: Deciding which pandemic-related changes should be reversed or permanently incorporated requires organisations to balance the benefits of hybrid work and in-person interaction. A recognised ‘power shift’ where employers must now justify office presence has prompted organisations to rely on enticements rather than mandates to encourage people back into the office, with one organisation even offering in-office visits from puppies.

3. Role and expectation management: Clarifying and managing the expectations of senior leaders, middle management, and employees regarding office presence is key. One middle manager interviewee highlighted “I think (senior) leaders are more comfortable leading when they can walk around and see people and what they’re not so sure is … how to manage in a hybrid model.”

4. Transition management: Managing the transition back to the office for senior managers and middle management, including coordination of tasks and working preferences in a hybrid environment.

5. HR involvement and contradictions: Balancing the implementation of policies with employee representation and well-being, while optimising performance and attracting talent.

Joanne Swann, Content Manager, WorkWellPro
Editor at Workplace Wellbeing Professional | Website |  + posts

Joanne is the editor for Workplace Wellbeing Professional and has a keen interest in promoting the safety and wellbeing of the global workforce. After earning a bachelor's degree in English literature and media studies, she taught English in China and Vietnam for two years. Before joining Work Well Pro, Joanne worked as a marketing coordinator for luxury property, where her responsibilities included blog writing, photography, and video creation.

Share

Latest News

Latest Analysis

Related Articles

Joanne Aitken: Why We Need to Talk About Menopause at Work

Around 4 million women aged 45–55 are working, and 5 million over 50 are part of the UK workforce: an increase of 39% in the past decade.

More Than Half of Employees ‘Feel Like They’re Faking It At Work’

More than half of employees say they feel like they are “faking it” at work despite believing their success comes from their own abilities, according to new research.

Work Offers a Lifeline To Unpaid Carers – But ‘Nearly Half May Cut Hours or Quit Without Support’

Nearly half of unpaid carers who are also in work are considering reducing their hours or leaving employment altogether.

Lucinda Quigley: Menopause Action Plans Risk Failing Without Cultural Change

With the introduction of voluntary menopause action plans, are organisations truly ready, or simply compliant on paper?
Previous article
Work-life balance and job stability of utmost importance for Gen Z
Next article
Andrea Miller: Workplace wellbeing in a post-COVID world – navigating the changing landscape