Dell's RTO Leaves Parents in a Bind
Plus, what if everyone refused to come back to the office?
👋 Happy Tuesday! A recent ResumeBuilder survey of over 1,000 U.S. employees revealed that 1 in 5 workers aren't fully complying with their company's RTO policy, and half of these "coffee badgers" would likely quit if stricter rules were enforced. Interestingly, 68% of workers believe their productivity would improve if they could choose their own work location schedule.
In this week’s edition:
💻 Dell’s Abrupt RTO Mandate
📊 Flexibility Trends in the Enterprise
🎙️ ICYMI: Inside Atlassian’s State of Teams Report
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THIS WEEK’S FLEX FOCUS 🔍
Dell's Abrupt Return-to-Office Mandate
Dell's recent abrupt mandate for its sales team to return to the office five days a week exemplifies the growing tension between corporate desires for in-person collaboration and employees' expectations for flexibility.
The company's sudden shift from a hybrid model to full-time office work, announced with just two working days' notice, has left many workers scrambling to adjust their lives, particularly parents facing childcare challenges. This move not only disrupts work-life balance but also raises questions about Dell's commitment to employee well-being and trust.
The situation at Dell reflects a broader trend of companies pushing for stricter return-to-office policies, often citing productivity and collaboration as justifications. However, employee backlash and the potential for talent loss highlight the risks of such inflexible approaches.
FLEX WORK QUICK HITS 💥
Stay ahead of the curve with our curated roundup of the trending flexible work stories making waves right now. Here's what you need to know 👇
Fast Company: Spotify bucks return-to-office trend with CHRO defending work-from-anywhere policy, citing 15% drop in attrition.
Forbes: Corporate culture, not employees, may be the real stumbling block in hybrid work policies, as C-suite struggles to balance flexibility with collaboration.
Business Insider: Dell's sudden five-day office mandate for sales staff sparks chaos, leaving parents scrambling and offices overflowing as the company tests the limits of work-life balance in a post-pandemic world.
HR Daily Advisor: A recent International Workplace Group survey reveals nine in ten C-Suite tech leaders believe hybrid work is the future.
STAT OF THE WEEK 📈
Flexibility Trends Across Enterprise Sizes
Even at the Enterprise scale, there are clear trends in adopting work location flexibility by the enterprise size. Enterprises with 1-5k employees are the most polarized; 31% are Fully Flexible and 23% require Full Time In Office.
As enterprises grow larger, they are more likely to be Structured Hybrid. 46% of enterprises with 1-5k employees are Structured Hybrids; on the other hand, 75% of enterprises with 25k or more employees are Structured Hybrids. Perhaps surprisingly, larger enterprises are also decreasingly likely to be Full-Time in Office; only 8% of enterprises with 25k or more employees are Full-Time in Office.
FLEXPERT INSIGHTS 🧠
What if… everyone refused to come back to the office?
With Barclays Bank, Boots, JD Sports, and Dell Technologies among some of the big names to have asked staff to spend a certain percentage of their time at their desks, 2024 has been the year of the return-to-office mandate. But what’s the evidence in favor or against it? And, with tribunals in this area mounting, what happens if employees don’t play ball? Academic Gemma Dale and HR leader Tim Mitchell discuss.
FLEX PERSPECTIVES 🎙️
ICYMI: Inside Atlassian's ‘State of Teams’ Report | Annie Dean
In this throwback Flex Perspectives episode, Rob Sadow is joined by Annie Dean, Global Head of Team Anywhere at Atlassian. Annie is a globally recognized remote and flexible working expert, having previously served as Meta’s first Director of Remote Work.
Listen in as Rob and Annie discuss:
How our relationship with the office has evolved and the implications for real estate executives.
Atlassian’s latest State of Teams report with actionable insights on how companies can be more productive and intentional with how they spend their time.
Practical strategies to reduce wasteful meetings, increase focus time, and optimize team practices for distributed work environments.
Also available on Apple Podcasts.
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT ✨
Maker's Mark, a bourbon whiskey brand, is one of the most distinguished spirits companies in the world. It is widely revered for its signature premium handmade bourbon. Established in 1954 by T. William Samuels Sr. in Loretto, Kentucky, it remains in operation at the same location and is now a National Historic Landmark.
ONE MORE THING 1️⃣
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