More bosses want employees back in the office. Like, now
work from home (WFH) to championing work from office (WFO).
Still, experts said once the dust settles, companies are likely to agree on a spectrum of working models from fully remote to hybrid to being in office. But right now, employers want to ensure that people actually show up in office, a push that's backed by changes in the job market. It's becoming an employers' market, said Arvind Usretay, senior director, commercial leader, India and South Asia, Mercer.
Flexibility at Work
«From subtle nudges and advisories to serious disincentives… for those… in favour of WFH, the trend is expected to continue as the market slowly shifts to an employer's market,» said Usretay.
Employers who have announced a policy on, or preference for, WFO may still choose to not implement all the new rules, especially for high performers, he said, adding that there will be flexibility but less than before. However, things may get tough for those with a not-too-shiny performance rating.
While the pandemic necessitated a shift to remote work, over the last year and more, companies have swung from flexible to firm on their return-to-office stance — even informing WFH holdouts of stern action. Meta, Amazon and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) are among those that have warned workers of consequences for failure to comply with return-to-office directives.
Most organisations are insisting on a return to office primarily because post-Covid hybrid working or WFH has created a
