Surface Ripples

WFH - The Debate Continues

 I’ve written several times about the phenomenon of working from home (WFH). Since the start of the global coronavirus pandemic in 2020, this has been the only way that many businesses and entrepreneurs could survive in the harsh “social distancing” environment that was necessary to slow down the spread of the virus whilst vaccines were developed.

A recent article suggests that the WFH phenomenon is gathering momentum. People are embracing “telework” (I think this is the new word for “telecommuting” which was in vogue some years ago).

The article draws a number of conclusions: the world is changing. Some cities, regions and countries are recovering faster than others.  Some cities are experiencing higher demand for office space than others.

Some companies which are now calling for employees to return to a centralised workplace are meeting stiff resistance (Amazon and Twitter are prime examples).

Employees generally seem to be experiencing a better quality of life if allowed to WFH. This means happier, more productive, and (one hopes!) more loyal employees. In the same way, what motivation is there to return to the pre-COVID practice of getting up early in the morning, suffering an hour-long commute through congested streets, highways or on crowded trains to work for 12 hours or more only to repeat the same commuting process to return home tired and hungry and to find that children need help with homework or are upset and want their dinner?

In short, the whole WFH debate will continue. Where it’s possible to “telework” employers may be well advised to consider the benefits to themselves in the long run.

Equally, those who work in jobs that require an on-site presence need to accept that WFH is likely to remain an impossibility. They will either need to search for work that offers this prospect or seek compensation in other forms (e.g., higher wages, more time off, reduced hours, flexible hours, etc).

I recently read that banking giant HSBC will be leaving their 45-floor headquarters in the Canary Wharf area of London to move back Into premises in the heart of London as demand for office space for their staff has reduced since the pandemic. More are likely to do the same. 

I’ve spent more than half my life delivering change in different world markets from the most developed to “emerging” economies. With a wealth of international experience in international financial services around the world running different operations and lending businesses, I started my own Consultancy to provide solutions for improving performance, productivity and risk management.  I work with individuals, small businesses, charities, quoted companies and academic institutions across the world. An international speaker, trainer, author and fund-raiser, I can be contacted by email. My website provides a full picture of my portfolio of services.  

Labels: Leadership, Productivity, Strategy, Teamwork

posted by William Martin @ 08:03