Everywhere Work: Challenges and how employers can adapt

Control over the work schedule is desired by most office employees, but only 43% are able to choose their work location.
By: | May 10, 2023
Topics: Employee Experience | Health and Wellness | Hybrid Working | Markets | News | Talent Management

As the demand for remote and hybrid work continues to grow, many employers are facing challenges to adapt to the changing work environment.

A study, which surveyed 8,400 office employees, IT professionals and C-level executives worldwide, revealed that 71% of employees desire control over their work schedules, but only 43% can work in the location of their choice. This results in a 28-point preference gap. It was also found that executives and IT professionals were more likely to have control over their schedules, with a preference gap of only 12 and 13 points, respectively.

Titled Elevating the Future of Everywhere Work, the study was released by Ivanti to explore the attitudes, expectations, and challenges that organisations and their employees face as they adjust to a new work environment. It further highlighted the benefits of Everywhere Work, such as increased flexibility and work-life balance, as well as the challenges organisations face in adapting to this new work environment.

One of the most significant challenges revealed by the study was employee burnout and disengagement, with one in three employees under 40 admitting to ‘quiet quitting’ and over one in four employees considering leaving their jobs in the next six months. The leading causes were burnout due to workload (35%) and mental health issues (35%), with better pay ranking third (33%).

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Despite these challenges, the study found that acceptance of remote and hybrid work options is growing, with 66% of employees reporting no negative side effects from these arrangements. Additionally, 71% of organisational leaders believe that remote work has a positive impact on employee morale.

The study also suggested four ways organisations can enable Everywhere Work, including investing in get-it-done-anywhere technology, rethinking security measures, minimising employee burnout, and reducing the preference gap by listening to employees and adopting innovative technologies.