Working from home: about wishes and realities

Those who want to work from home can usually continue to do so for the most part, even now that the great impact of corona is behind us. We were curious how employers and employees now feel about hybrid working and offer tips on how to strengthen the bond between colleagues and the organization.

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Thuiswerken: over wensen en werkelijkheden

Working from home: about wishes and realities

Those who want to work from home can usually continue to do so for the most part, even now that the major impact of corona is behind us. This is according to research by EenVandaag. However, employees do work at home less often than they would like. Employers allow their staff some time at home, but still prefer to see them in the physical workplace. They now expect their staff to return to the office more often, but employees want to be able to work flexibly and hybrid.

We were curious to find out how employers and employees now feel about hybrid working and provide tips to strengthen the bond between colleagues and the organization.

Personal wishes

Working from home remains popular, even after corona. The better work-life balance that many people are experiencing has got working Holland thinking. Although employers and employees agree that working from home is going well, they differ on the relationship between working from home and working in the physical workplace in the long run.

Employers prefer to see their staff primarily on the shop floor. They see being in the office together primarily as adding value to the company. After all, consultation and communication is easier in the office. Not all employers are convinced that people work just as hard at home.

Employees themselves are convinced that they are more productive at home because they can concentrate better there. Both agree on one thing: we all need social contact with colleagues. And so we’re looking for ways to promote collaboration back at the office.

The hybrid reality

We will have to rethink our relationship with our workplace. Part of the workforce works from home, while the other part is in the office. What we see is that in practice this sometimes leads to irritations. Especially among employees who are in the office, they feel that colleagues who work from home are less accessible.

Incidentally, hybrid working has long since ceased to be just about working at home or in the office. Hybrid working can mean that you can do your work from anywhere, even from a vacation home at home or abroad. And also at the hours that suit you best.

Irritations or not, it is precisely this flexibility that we experienced during the corona period that many employees no longer want to lose. And so it is time to make arrangements for the current way of working within organizations.

Back to the office? Ask for clarity

Employees like to be given guidelines on how to handle working from home or the office. Yet these are not yet in place from most employers. So employers need to actively work to ensure that, especially employees who work hybrid and new employees connect with their colleagues and feel at home in the organization.

Getting hybrid working yourself

We offer four tips that will help in making arrangements for hybrid working:

If your employer wants to regulate hybrid working, agree on how many days you want to be in the office. For example, if the guideline is a minimum of 2 days in the office, then you can decide if you want to come in more often.\
Participate regularly in the shared moments your employer organizes such as lunches, drinks or company outings. This promotes connection with each other.
What are you in the office for? Before corona, that was not the right question to ask because it was taken for granted that you were there. Meanwhile, “the office” has a new role, such as the place for consultation and connection. Take time to talk to your colleagues again and seek them out more often.
Once the policy has been determined, take stock regularly and evaluate what goes well and what goes less well. Make new agreements with your employer where necessary.

Finding a hybrid work policy that suits the organization and the employees is a continuous process of trial and error and evaluation. We are curious how you deal with finding a good balance between working in the office and being at home. Between less travel time and distractions and more engagement and socializing. And what your employer’s views are on that. Let us know. Your experiences can be an inspiration to others.

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