Are we saying goodbye to 9-to-5?
The 9-to-5 model, as they say, will become obsolete soon. This is backed by research. For example, Mckinsey’s research found that 67 percent of organizations with remote working in place actually saw a rise in “productivity, customer satisfaction, employee engagement, and diversity and inclusion.” A recent PWC survey found that 22 percent of employees are considering moving more than 80 kilometers away from their main office location.
Irecently read in a local article that demand for office spaces, many of which have been vacant because of the pandemic, is going to pick up now that vaccination programs are being rolled out nationwide and the economy is slowly and cautiously reopening. It mentioned, too, that the work sector cannot possibly keep on operating using the remote model because of issues like inadequate technology, slow Internet connectivity in the Philippines, lack of equipment and space in the remote work setting, and so on.
Yet there are those who say it might not go back to how it was since more people and organizations are opting to continue with their present remote work arrangements, or at least go for a hybrid setup. We are all wondering how the new face of work will look like in the months to come.
The 9-to-5 model, as they say, will become obsolete soon. This is backed by research. For example, Mckinsey’s research found that 67 percent of organizations with remote
working in place actually saw a rise in “productivity, customer satisfaction, employee engagement, and diversity and inclusion.” A recent PWC survey found that 22 percent of employees are considering moving more than 80 kilometers away from their main office location. Three out of four employees, according to Adecco Group, would prefer a flexible work setup and that they are willing to change jobs if there would be issues regarding this. Finally, a US
survey also revealed that 26 percent of workers are ready to leave their jobs in the next months because of flexibility problems. I have yet to see the local survey or research results on the issue, but this is how things look like generally, which will possibly be the same pattern in the country.
There are many occupations, however, that do not exactly fit the WFH setup, like service-oriented jobs, etc. More seriously, other workers experience problems with their Internet connectivity, childcare responsibilities (especially for women and single mothers), space and noise issues at home, depression and burnout, etc.—and so it is, obviously, not for everyone, despite what the surveys show.
Some experts say that inventing a new hybrid work model could address the gaps and allow for a more inclusive recovery for all sectors. The problem is that nobody really knows how to do it exactly, which, according to the WE Forum, is actually “hurting worker morale and highlighting the urgency of defining the postcovid-19 knowledge-worker model.” The form and structure remain vague, however, and this ultimately leaves the companies and organizations to figure things out on their own and implement whatever model can meet their most specific needs and circumstances.
Considering that this will most likely be not our last pandemic, it makes sense to think of a long-term solution and come up with a model that can protect our workers and our economy, especially in light of the possible climate change effects in the months and years to come.