Five years after the pandemic began, it has left its mark on the workplace, both good and bad.
Placement firm Robert Half surveyed 1,000 professionals about the state of their workplace and job satisfaction, and nearly eight in 10 reported having the flexibility they want, helping drive greater career satisfaction.
But that flexibility has taken its toll on company culture, with 42% saying culture in their workplace is struggling, and so is employee engagement. Nearly one in five respondents said they don’t have as strong of a personal relationship with their colleagues.
“There is a bigger boom of people who want to go into the office, at least on a hybrid schedule. And you are seeing companies now that are engaging in some type of schedule of having team days, or culture days or community days to keep that culture going,” said Trey Barnette, regional vice president of Robert Half in D.C.
The postpandemic tug-of-war between remote work, hybrid schedules and fully in-office work seems to have concluded. The winner is hybrid, at least when looking at postings for new jobs available.
“Hybrid job postings seem to have a lot more growth, from 9% in 2023 to 23% for new jobs by the end of 2024. Fully on-site roles are continuing to trend downward, to 61% of new job postings by the end of 2024,” Barrette said.
Employers, some reluctant, some fully supportive, have realized the value of offering flexible work schedules. While most common for senior-level roles, Robert Half said flex work opportunities for mid-level and entry-level professionals are growing.
Fully remote job openings have also increased over the last two years, from 10% in early 2023 to 15% at the end of last year.
Robert Half also asked about workplace priorities in the year ahead. Topping the list was maintaining work-life balance, followed by salary and job title, working for a company that aligns with personal values, and contributing to a positive company culture.
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