Back to office? Not so soon: Nearly 50% workers prefer flexibility

Even as top executives across India Inc emphasise the need to bring employees back to office, the hybrid workplace remains the dominant trend. Nearly 50 per cent of job candidates enquire about remote work options early in the hiring process, recruiters point out.

 

Post-pandemic, work-from-home (WFH) has emerged as a key priority for employees, with human resource (HR) professionals struggling to strike a balance between remote and in-office work.

 

Even as offices reopen, the demand for hybrid or fully remote roles continues to grow.

 

Daya Prakash, founder of TalentOnLease, a tech hiring platform, said, “In the current scenario, the majority of the workforce would like to WFH. At my company, we have been very flexible. But, given a chance, more than 50 per cent of employees would switch to WFH as opposed to working from office.”

 

The company has created a hybrid environment where employees can work three days from office and two days from home, he added.

 

Echoing Prakash’s view, Sudipta Biswas, head of people at study-abroad platform Leverage Edu, noted that nearly 50 per cent of employees at his company would prefer a WFH option if given the choice. However, he added that many newly hired employees are eager to experience the company’s culture and office environment firsthand.

 

The Indian information technology services sector has been the most vocal about the challenges of getting employees back to office. Employee reluctance to return has also led many companies to resort to policies like linking attendance to penalties and more.

 

Sachin Tiwari, HR head at ecommerce hyperlocal startup magicpin, said the company is largely moving towards working from office. “Currently, 80 per cent of people are in office, and 20 per cent (largely in tech, sales, and product domains) are operating from home. For jobs that can be done at home, 5-10 per cent of employees express a desire to work remotely,” he said.

 

According to a 2023 survey report by job portal Indeed, workers in India are far from ready to return to the pre-pandemic days of working in an office five days a week. It added that two in three Indian professionals choose flexibility as the top parameter while on a job hunt.

 

Ankit Jhamb, chief learning officer at Grant Thornton Bharat LLP, shared that at present, 30-50 per cent of the workforce has opted for WFH, while the rest support clients from their offices as and when needed.

 

The demand for flexibility is not limited to current employees, as job applicants increasingly prioritise it, often asking HR professionals about remote work options at the beginning of the hiring process.

 

Neha Mathur, senior vice-president of people success at Urban Company, an at-home services provider, said, “There is an expectation from talent, especially for flexibility or hybrid work. Around 20-30 per cent of candidates express a preference for working from home.”

 

While flexible work policies have become a crucial element for companies to attract and retain talent in a competitive job market, HR professionals believe that office spaces enhance collaboration and innovation.

 

“Many individuals who are off-site or working in a hybrid setup miss out on the opportunity to engage with colleagues and have intellectual stimulation among peers," Biswas added.

 

"At Urban Company, our people thrive in the office environment. The realisation is that when it comes to innovation, collaboration, and productivity, the workplace provides an enabling and engaging environment," Mathur said.

 

Jhamb also said that at his company, efforts are being made to refine the hybrid model, aiming to promote offices as collaborative spaces for building networks and strengthening working relationships. 

Home calling

TalentOnLease: More than 50% of the employees would switch to WFH as opposed to work from the office

Leverage Edu: Nearly 50% of employees would prefer a WFH option

Magicpin: Currently, 80% employees are in office and 20% operating from home

Grant Thornton Bharat: 30-50% of the workforce has opted for WFH