Remote work used to be unique and then, the pandemic changed everything. Since then, most employees don't view remote work as a luxury but rather as a standard practice.
One might have thought that 2022 would have been the year of the "return to the office." But, that was not the case as a lot of tech companies struggled to get employees back in the office. Even offering lunch, happy hour, or other incentives didn't do the trick.
Some tech companies, like Apple, Twitter, and others are making a statement and pushing employees back to the office with in-office mandates. However, from what I've seen, the majority of tech companies are still in a tough spot of trying to figure it all out around remote work versus in-office expectations.
Yesterday, as part of our predictions for this year, we shared the details of the Hiring & Job Market for the Tech Industry in 2023. Today, we have Talent Acquisition & HR leaders sharing their thoughts on the trends around in-office, hybrid, and remote work for companies.
Please note, the views and predictions expressed in this blog post are representative of the individual's thoughts and opinions. They are not representative of the individual's employer.
Dean Talanehzar
Head of Talent at Benchling
In 2023, we’ll continue to see companies adjust to a hybrid work environment with teams returning to the office 3 days a week, and start building experience on how to remain inclusive and collaborate with remote colleagues. Teams will need to be more thoughtful and intentional about when, where, and how they will collaborate as we learn how to execute in a more hybrid world.
Kristin Zwickau
VP, Talent Attraction at Veeva Systems
Post-pandemic, we are seeing a new way of work emerge. Employees want trust, flexibility (what works for them), wellness and mental health initiatives, and meaningful work. Companies that embrace this will have a much happier workforce and attract top talent. Companies that are too rigid or not consistent with their work philosophy will not gain the trust of their employees or candidates.
Loralie Thostenson
SVP, Technology Talent Officer at Liberty Mutual Insurance
After years of managing and redefining hybrid work strategies, managers will be empowered to work with their teams to determine the right ways and cadence to work. We will continue to see employees use their agency to make choices about their work and successful companies will maintain a variety of work arrangements across in-person, remote and hybrid roles based on business needs. Offices will evolve to venues for purposeful collaboration, team building, networking, problem solving and innovation – using technology to create inclusive experiences for remote colleagues.
Annie Edwards
Chief People Officer at Bamboo Health
The data is clear that remote workers are generally happier and companies that are managing remote workers will have better odds of success in other talent-related areas such as engagement and productivity. Conversely, studies show that over time the lack on in person collaboration will lead to less innovation and less community and connection with employers. My prediction is that hybrid and remote work is here to stay for a while, and the companies that “win” the war on talent will be the ones that are hyper-focused on building processes and communication capabilities that connect remote employees to each other and to their company’s vision and mission, and provide meaningful opportunities for professional development and career advancement for their employees.
Jaclyn Jussif
VP of People at Paperless Parts
Even though we’re done with COVID, it’s not quite done with us sadly - it will continue to impact remote work and our work/life balance. That being said, teams are now remembering the value, productivity and relationship building that in-person work brings. Assuming the pandemic continues to stay manageable, I think hybrid work models will be here to stay.
Jeanne Cordisco
Chief People Officer at O’Reilly
Managing a remote-first workforce does have its challenges, but these can be overcome through solid talent management and empathetic leadership, with both companies and employees reaping the benefits of an engaged remote workforce while minimizing the costs. Companies emphasizing return-to-office policies as the path to improved productivity might be looking at their workforces from the wrong direction. Because companies, too, have reaped benefits from expanded telework. A remote-first workforce has been shown to boost efficiency and productivity, while increasing satisfaction among current employees and helping to attract new talent. In addition, by making use of available artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, organizations can create interactive training scenarios that address real-world use cases, allowing employees to take part in finding solutions—and develop their skills in the process.
Morgan Cecil
Talent Acquisition Specialist at Flexcar
We’re seeing employers do more to create office spaces that their employees will enjoy coming to, and we anticipate seeing more companies invest in employee-friendly office spaces in 2023 and beyond. At Flexcar, for example, our Seaport headquarters has all the snacks and drinks, coffee you actually want to drink, beautiful views of the ocean, and spaces that are great for collaboration as well as focused work. As employers continue to invest in their office spaces, 2023 will be the year that employees return to the office for more of the week. Instead of coming in one or two days a week, we predict more employees will start coming in three, four, or even five days while continuing to emphasize flexibility and allow for consistent work-life balance.
Tabitha Akaktan
Head of People Operations at Fortify
Employees are craving flexible roles. I think companies that are closed off to the idea will have a difficult time finding or retaining employees, who will favor hybrid or remote positions. Fully remote and hybrid positions will see a far greater number of serious and qualified applicants.
Keith Cline is the Founder of VentureFizz. Follow him on Twitter: @kcline6.