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Caution urged over changes to hybrid working patterns

by Kavitha Sivasubramaniam
30/08/2023
home working, health, remote workers, hybrid working
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Changes to hybrid working patterns and offering incentives to encourage staff back to the office carry risks, a workforce solutions specialist has warned.

According to the Hays ‘Ways of Working Survey’, around 10% of employers are offering, or considering offering, incentives to tempt workers out of their homes, with 26% saying staff working on a hybrid model will be asked to attend the office more frequently.

However, Mason believes a “careful balance” must be struck between incentives and productivity.

“Balancing time between working remotely and in the office is still seen as the best of both worlds by a large majority of professionals,” he said. “While flexible working is still popular, we’ve recently seen very assertive moves to get staff back to the workplace more, and we believe this will increase in the next 12 months.

“Employers need to balance incentives with their need to drive productivity,” he added. “For example, some managers are creating a purpose for their teams to attend the workplace through networking and learning sessions.”

Hays’ research found the most popular incentives among professionals to encourage a move back to the office are paid or subsidised travel (42%), lunches (42%) and gym facilities (39%).

Mason commented: “While everyone has different preferences and lifestyles, the most popular enticements seem to be subsidised travel and lunches. However, while some companies offer interest-free travel, to offer paid incentives like these can become extremely costly over time, and a major financial hit for employers.”

Other popular incentives revealed by the research included an onsite café with a free drinks machine (58%), bicycle storage/showers (53%) and access to better hardware/software in the workplace such as additional screens and faster internet connections (42%). 

On-site childcare and subsidised childcare were popular incentives among 20% and 12% of respondents respectively.

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“Employers should also consider what makes an office an appealing place to be in order to encourage workers to return to this way of life,” said Mason. 

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Seasoned professionals examine the challenges and innovations in today’s employee benefits, reward and HR sector. Every episode, they will unbox a key issue and unpack what it really means for employers and how they can tackle it.

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Benefits Unboxed – Hybrid work: reality versus rhetoric
byBenefits Expert from Definite Article Media

Return-to-office mandates are a topic that’s generating plenty of heat in the media, but how closely do the headlines match workplace reality? 

In this episode, one of a three-part series of 10-minute podcasts, hosts Claire Churchard and Steve Herbert discuss data that shows remote or home working is on the rise.

We look at what this means for HR, from balancing employee flexibility with business needs, to ensuring benefits packages remain fair and accessible. We discuss the pinch points, and the opportunities, in building the new normal of work.

Benefits Unboxed – Hybrid work: reality versus rhetoric
Benefits Unboxed – Hybrid work: reality versus rhetoric
31/08/2025
Benefits Expert from Definite Article Media
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