Our New National Research Reveals Success Factors for Flexible Work and RTO

Dear Friends, 

Have we really changed where, when and how we work since the pandemic started? What's driving – and impeding – flexible work success? The answers may surprise you in our latest national research from my firm, Flex+Strategy Group . It's the only such data available with a pre- and post-pandemic view into the employee experience. 

The press release below summarizes our findings and includes a link to download our full research report featuring analysis, commentary and guidance on next steps.

I hope you find this research useful as you continue champion flexible work within your organization and that you’ll share it with those who would value such information. I’m excited to hear if our findings mirror what you see happening in your day-to-day work+life. Lastly, I welcome the opportunity to speak to your team or organization about how this data can help us reimagine work together so businesses and people can profit and thrive in a flexible future.

For Immediate Release

 As Gap Between Employees and Leadership Widens, New Research Reveals Success Factors for Flexible Work, including Return to Office 

Madison, New Jersey, October 11, 2023– New national research from leading flexible work strategist and futurist Cali Williams Yost and her firm Flex+Strategy Group (FSG) signals a widening gap between employee and leadership perceptions about flexible work and performance, including what’s happening when employees are onsite. 

Based upon a demographically representative sample size of 782 U.S. full-time employed adults, the research is the latest in a series of FSG studies that have monitored the national progress of issues related to work life flexibility from the employee point of view since 2006.

“This research provides a unique longitudinal pre- and post-pandemic lens into the employee experience and perspective,” Yost says. “While employees and leaders continue to clash about where, when and how we do our best work, our findings reveal the factors that bring organizations together to drive flexible work success.”

The online survey conducted in June 2023 for FSG by Big Village, an independent research firm, yielded several key findings, including:

• Even though many employees have more work life flexibility than before the pandemic, a majority say they still do most of their work onsite at their employer’s location.
• Most of these employees spend the same amount or even more time interacting/working with colleagues when onsite than before the pandemic.
• Regardless of where work is done, training and guidance are significant drivers for flexible work success, including increased communication, productivity and engagement.
• But a lack of training and guidance, along with the perception that work life flexibility is a policy or perk rather than a business strategy, remain impediments to high performance flexibility.
• Despite economic uncertainty and layoffs in certain sectors, most workers are more likely to pursue flexibility or plan no change from their current approach and believe their employers will continue to offer the same amount or even more flexibility. 

“We are all, to varying degrees, flexible workers now. While the pandemic greatly accelerated the level of flexibility that was already well underway, the crisis-driven nature of that shift was not strategic or sustainable,” explains Yost. “Now is the time to move past entrenched beliefs and together reimagine the future of work. Organizations need to view flexibility as the way everyone works and how we all can succeed.”

For data analysis and commentary visit www.flexstrategygroup.com to download “The Now and Next of Work: A 2023 Flex+Strategy Group Research Report, Unifying Leaders and Employees on the Future of High Performance Flexibility.”

Data Highlights

In Office and In Person are Not the Same

Aside from the time when the pandemic forced most employees to work remotely, there’s been little change during the past decade in where employees say they do most of their work. A majority (68%) still do most of their work onsite at their employer’s location while nearly a third (32%) do most of their work from a remote location, which includes home, business center or another location. As they have been since 2013, men remain the majority of these mostly remote workers.

When doing most of their work on site, 87% note they spend the same amount or even more time now interacting with colleagues than they did pre-pandemic/2020. More than half (57%) note it's the same and 30% say it's more.

“Given these findings, it’s easy to understand the resistance to return-to-office mandates under the premise of more face time,” Yost says. “Onsite interaction is happening but may not be focused on the priorities and outcomes most important to leaders. Simply showing up at the office on a set day doesn’t guarantee a collaborative focus on team or organizational priorities.”

Flexibility is about More than Remote and Hybrid

As has been the case for more than a decade and regardless of where they work, nearly all employees (97%) reported they have some work life flexibility. Of those, 42% said they have more flexibility now than pre-pandemic/2020 and 41% are “very satisfied” with their flexibility. But there is room for improvement as 12% noted they were not satisfied with their level of flexibility and 47% said “somewhat.”

Whether they work mostly onsite or mostly remote, the two groups of employees are nearly equal in satisfaction with their flexibility. 

“Flexibility is about more than the location-focused limits of the hybrid and remote labels,” explains Yost. “It’s about optimizing work across workplaces, spaces and time by answering the question, ‘What do we need to do and how, when and where do we do it best?’”   

Employees Note Performance Improvements

Almost all (92%) flexible employees reported they feel as or more (75%) productive and engaged with flexibility in where, when and how they work. The same percentage noted their ability to communicate, create and innovate with colleagues either increased or stayed the same with 64% citing an increase. Compared with FSG’s pre-pandemic trends, employees noted even higher levels of these positive outcomes.

“Consistent with both our past research and more recent studies, flexibility drives performance improvements, and even more so now,” Yost explains. “Butts in seats and badge swipes are no longer valid performance indicators. High performing flexible organizations take a broader view, measuring the outcomes that contribute to long-term organizational strength.”

Training and Guidance Make a Significant Impact but Only Half Received

While almost all employees have work life flexibility, only half (50%) reported receiving any guidance or training on how to manage their flexibility.

“This is a problem we first uncovered ten years ago and remains a huge, missed opportunity for organizations,” Yost says. “Policy alone does not lead to flexible work success. Working better and smarter in a high performance flexibility model is a system of change with training and guidance essential to unlocking performance and well-being.”

FSG’s current research found training and guidance significantly increased the number of flexible employees who reported higher levels of onsite interaction; productivity, engagement and communication; work life satisfaction and amount of flexibility; and confidence in the ability to continue to work flexibly and with their employers.

Time to Move Flexibility from Perk to Strategy

When thinking about the use of flexibility offered by their employer in where, when and how they work, nearly half of flexible workers (49%) still see that flexibility primarily as a human resources policy or perk, rather than a business operations strategy.

“Too many organizations continue to govern flexible work with one-size-fits-all edicts and email announcements,” Yost explains. “The true promise of a high performance flexible work model depends on investing in flexibility with the focus, attention and resources this critical business strategy deserves.”

Employees See a Flexible Future

Despite the current economic environment and increase in layoffs in certain sectors, most flexible workers report they’re more likely to pursue flexibility in where, when and how they work (44%) or plan no changes (39%). Most workers also believe their employers will continue to offer the same amount (42%) or even more flexibility (39%).

“Regardless of the prevailing economic environment, flexibility is an expectation and the norm,” Yost says. “Employees know and have shown they can work flexibly, and they don’t plan to give that up.”

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ABOUT THE RESEARCH

The research is based upon a demographically representative sample size of 782 U.S. full-time employed adults with a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. The survey was conducted online June 19-23, 2023, by Big Village, an independent research firm, as part of its weekly CARAVAN® Omnibus Surveys.

ABOUT THE FLEX+STRATEGY GROUP

Led by Cali Williams Yost, the world’s leading authority on high performance flexibility, the Flex+Strategy Group transforms where, when and how organizations work to unlock performance, engagement and well-being. For nearly three decades, Yost has studied and changed the way business leaders and employees think about work. A futurist, strategist and author, she brings real-time insight into what’s happening to work now, and what’s next.

Media Contacts:

Pam Kassner, PR/Marketing Communications Pro 414-510-1838, pam@superpear.com

Maggie Baum , 608-438-2814, maggiebcomm@gmail.com

Until next time, keep reimagining work and life,

Cali

Cali Williams Yost, Founder & CEO of the Flex+Strategy Group, is one of the world's most trusted authorities on how work flexibility can unlock high performance, engagement, and well-being. For over 20 years, she has helped organizations from banks to hospitals to universities reimagine how, when, and where they operate. She is the author of two books on the subject, and her media credits include the Today Show, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, Marketplace, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, and Harvard Business Review.

Follow her on LinkedIn and Instagram.