Recruiters are struggling to find employees who would need to work in an ‘On-Site’ environment. I personally enjoyed going into the office and working on-site.
The gall! The audacity! Candidates seem determined to fight for a quality of life, not willing to return to an office environment. Are people really willing to forego a pay-check to find that perfect job?
This intrigued me, I do what I do and took the alternative view of the situation. What is the company’s role in this current hiring situation?
COVID forced an evolution of this legacy culture of work. It was disproved that success must require on-site deployment of professional capabilities. The world adapted where it could and people evolved… Work evolved.
Employees experienced a better quality of life, and productivity increased without the burden and stresses of commuting and in-office distractions. Post-COVID, companies are resisting the urge to evolve and accept that there are advantages to be had.
The idea that a remote workforce is not technically possible at scale. Or un-supervised workers were less productive were fears that ended up in many cases being a myth.
Maybe, just maybe, things like investment in real estate contracts binding companies, require on-site employees to justify the expenses. What about local or state tax incentives provided to companies for having their businesses locally staffed?
The question is, is this something companies can benefit from in evolving their operating model or not. Has the need for on-site workers been a business decision focused on the bottom line? Was the phrase “quality of life” just HR Marketing spin to solicit better talent? Just food for thought.
I’m not saying that all roles, capabilities and functions can, or should be remote, they cannot. The idea that every role must return to an office environment, is what is forcing many to “hold out.” In this new age, knowledge and data workers are beginning to take control of their own quality of life. Trust has been broken in the social contract between the worker and enterprise. The word is out. Workers now realize that they can truly provide value from anywhere.
Hybrid or Remote should be the new standard, depending on the nature of the role and work. There has been a definite shift in value for talent over profit. CEO’s will continue to focus on profit and shareholder returns. Now, it appears that employees are beginning to self-advocate for a better quality of life.