The evolution of the workplace and changing employee attitudes to the 9-5

"Almost two third of hybrid workers (64%) believe that office culture has changed forever," says Dave Shull, president and CEO of Poly. "The uptick in hybrid working is a signal that our professional life is set to transform further. Work equity and equality of employee experiences is now at the forefront of all discussions as both organisations and workers are embracing the new ways of working. This is the change that Poly is helping our customers navigate – enabling them to create balanced and personal experiences for all employees, regardless of location."

"Our research found that  workers (58%) felt that the rise in remote working has meant they are 'always on' and always available, leaving them unable to relax or switch off from work, " says Paul Clark, senior vice president of EMEA sales at Poly. "And while many are enjoying the benefits of hybrid working – the work-life balance, lie ins, and family time – others are feeling side-lined and disconnected. For example, 52% think hybrid or home workers could be discriminated against or treated differently to employees in the office full-time. Equally, people are feeling anxious about the return to the office, with 42% admitting they will be prone to 'noise rage' if colleagues are too loud. Sadly, the younger generation – many of whom entered the workforce during all the upheaval – are feeling the strain particularly strongly. Of the 62% who reported that they have not been to their new office, 72% say the idea of going in is keeping them up at night. For hybrid working to be a success, these issues must be tackled head on. Companies need to continue to put their employees at the centre of all that they do and provide them with the tools they need to accomplish their jobs in this new environment."

Always On vs Anytime Working – Why employers need to set clear boundaries to prevent employee burnout

The research suggests hybrid working is here to stay. 82% of respondents intend to spend at least one day a week working from home in the future, with 54% planning to split their time evenly between the office and home. One of the drivers for this shift is the emergence of 'anytime working' – whereby employees have greater autonomy over when they do their work – with over two third of employees (69%) saying the 9-5 has been replaced by anytime working. When asked about the benefits of working from home, the top three responses given were: avoiding lengthy commutes, achieving a better work-life balance and feeling less stressed. Similarly, when asked what they would miss about working from home, people highlighted lie ins, time with family and finishing on time.

However, while many workers have reaped the benefits, working from home has not been a smooth transition for everyone. Worryingly the lines between anytime working and being 'always on' are blurring: more than half of workers (58%) felt that the rise in remote working has meant they are 'always on' and always available, leaving them unable to relax or switch off from work. Added to this, being expected to work outside of their hours was listed as the second biggest drawback of working from home – after having less fun with colleagues. The findings also show:

• Difficulty collaborating, lack of IT support and lack of equipment to enable home working are listed within the top five drawbacks of working from home – suggesting many employees have not been provided with the right tools to work effectively.

"Anytime working should not be confused with being always on," adds Clark. "The organisations that promote a healthy work environment and empower anytime working will see a much happier and more productive workforce. This is especially important as we are experiencing the 'Great Resignation' phenomenon, where people across industries are leaving their jobs due to the pandemic. Businesses cannot afford to lose talent so must offer the best working experience possible to all its employees, no matter where they are located."

The Future Role of the Office and the Rise of 'Noise Rage'

The research suggests that there are very mixed feelings about the return to office. While many have missed the camaraderie and connection of seeing colleagues and clients, others are feeing anxious and worry their performance will suffer. What is evident is that for many, the changes of the past year are here to stay – with 64% of workers saying that office culture has 'changed forever'. As a result, while many intend to return to the office, the role of the office and office etiquette are likely to evolve.

The survey suggests noise will be a particular hot button for returning workers, with the potential to cause friction between workers:

• 56% expressed concern that noise levels in the office will make them less productive.

Despite the concerns, workers are looking forward to having more person-to-person interactions. Office banter, going for lunch with clients/ colleagues and office camaraderie are listed as the top three things workers miss about the office. The findings also highlight how the role of the office will evolve. When asked how people would see themselves using the office in the future, results tended to be practical and task oriented. The 'top three reasons to go back into the office' were brainstorming / collaborating with colleagues, attending meetings and access to better equipment and technology.

Corporate image has also changed. Even industries such as financial services that have always expected employees to maintain a certain standard of dress are now becoming more relaxed. 61% of workers in finance think that hybrid working has brought about the death of the suit, and that wearing suits might go away for good – eight points higher than the average of 53%.

"The role of the office and what people want to use it for is changing. It's evident that people have craved human interaction since working from home and are looking forward to getting back to the office," says Clark. "However, noise is a legitimate concern for many, particularly for those younger workers that are new to the workforce or a new environment. To address the rise of 'noise rage', organisations need to provide employees with the right technology, such as noise cancelling products, to reduce distractions, improve productivity and ensure equality of experience. Where possible, organisations should also look to create dedicated quiet spaces (booths, more rooms, spacing out desks) equipped with the right technologies."

The Impact on Young Workers and their Future Careers

The findings highlight the impact remote working has had on young workers and how their careers could be in jeopardy, with many worrying about the return to office. Two fifths of respondents have been unable to visit their new office – either because the company had moved office, or they joined during the pandemic – a figure that rose to 62% of 18–24-year-olds. Of the young workers who have not yet visited their office, 72% said the thought of visiting the office for the first time, and the potential noise levels, kept them awake at night.

Younger employees also worried about the impact of working remotely on their abilities to form relationships and communicate with their peers, with many worrying that this could hold them back:

• 52% of workers aged 16-24 were concerned that working remotely would have a negative impact on their development and career progression, compared to the average of 43%.

Poly recommends that businesses think carefully about how they manage any future transition to a more permanent form of hybrid working. Here's some top recommendations from Poly:

• Understand your employees' personas to truly understand the personality types and working style preferences within your business so everyone can do their best work.

"To unlock the benefits of hybrid working, organisations need to keep people, technology and spaces front of mind," comments Clark. "Firstly, businesses need to understand employees' personas and working styles. Secondly, they need to clearly define their future office – what spaces will be needed? Should we create more areas for quiet working or collaboration? Doing so will allow organisations to better understand their technology requirements to help the workforce become happier, and more productive. Most importantly, this will ensure everyone has an equal experience, no matter where, when or how they work. This will allow everyone to reap the rewards and truly make hybrid 'work'."

About the research

The findings are based on an online omnibus survey of hybrid workers conducted by Censuswide in August 2021. This includes a total of 7,261 Hybrid workers in the UK (2,003), France (1,001), Germany (1,002), Poland (1,000) Sweden (1,005), Spain (1,000) and the UAE (250).