# To be or not to be (back at the office)? That is the Question Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-07-26 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: Embracing Change: Leading Your Team Towards Success in the Meta Description: Discover the importance of strong leadership and management skills in driving growth during times of change and remote working. Learn how to create a high URL: https://financedigest.com/to-be-or-not-to-be-back-at-the-office-that-is-the-questionhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/9-1736838127133-compressed.jpg) _By_ **_Giles Watkins and Marcus Chipchase,_** _Directors of_ [_Tinderbox_](https://www.tinderboxbusinessdevelopment.co.uk/) **_“The one thing we know for certain, the one constant in the world, is change”._** There is nothing new in this, yet many of us are taken by surprise by change, when we shouldn’t be – the world has been changing since time began. We are in the heart of probably the biggest crisis to hit health and business in living memory. One thing is for sure, this too will pass – the economy will pick up again, and so will the [business opportunities](https://www.financedigest.com/private-equity-firms-hungry-for-investment-opportunities-but-business-owners-must-be-cautious-2.html "Private equity firms hungry for investment opportunities, but business owners must be cautious") with it. At some stage it will boom. Maximising your [business performance in the economic rebound by driving growth will take strong leadership and management skills](https://www.financedigest.com/5-essential-leadership-skills-for-family-owned-businesses.html "5 essential leadership skills for family-owned businesses"). Especially in the area of getting the most from your biggest asset – your people. As the FT wrote on 19 June, “Legions of Goldman Sachs bankers returned to its Manhattan headquarters this week, as the first of the big [banks called back](https://www.financedigest.com/banking-turmoil-means-recession-fears-are-creeping-back.html "Banking turmoil means recession fears are creeping back") staff from remote working. They must disclose whether they have been vaccinated. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley’s boss mused that if his underlings are happy to eat at restaurants, they should be happy to come into the office” This approach contrasts starkly with some non-US headquartered [banks](https://www.financedigest.com/barclays-private-bank-opens-new-office-in-verbier-switzerland-for-2022-23-ski-season.html "Barclays Private Bank opens new office in Verbier, Switzerland for 2022/23 Ski Season"). “Société Générale, which reopened its Paris office this week, will allow bankers to work from [home three days](https://www.financedigest.com/man-charged-under-britains-treason-act-over-christmas-day-incident-at-queens-home.html "Man charged under Britain’s Treason Act over Christmas Day incident at queen’s home") a week; HSBC is yet to set an office-return date and is planning on extended flexible working. These differing approaches, while dictated also by cultural mores, domestic employment law and vaccination rates, show that even among the same sector there is disagreement about the right level of office attendance.” **Remoteness Becomes the Norm** **Vistage’s research just publish suggests that only “26% of businesses are considering an entirely [remote working](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-protect-your-employees-mental-health-while-remote-working.html "How to protect your employees’ mental health while remote working") setting, with 17% likely to remain office-based, and 57% considering a hybrid of the two”** This reaffirms that remote working will [remain part of the current and future business](https://www.financedigest.com/iran-open-for-business-but-caution-remains-the-watchword.html "Iran: ‘open for business’ – but caution remains the watchword") profile. Hence the resulting need for strong leadership and management, and especially people management skills, is going to be even more important to your [business success](https://www.financedigest.com/ceo-riggs-eckelberry-of-originclear-discusses-the-power-of-intuition-in-running-a-successful-business.html "CEO Riggs Eckelberry of OriginClear Discusses the Power of Intuition in Running a Successful Business "). We are [moving into a new era where remoteness – and remote working – are going to be part of everyday business](https://www.financedigest.com/4-ways-moving-office-can-bring-your-business-roi.html "4 ways moving office can bring your business ROI") life. Remote working as part of a truly agile business can reap substantial rewards in terms of efficiency, [productivity and profitability if handled and managed](https://www.financedigest.com/understanding-management-theories-and-maximising-productivity.html "Understanding management theories and maximising productivity") well. Powerful [leadership and strong management](https://www.financedigest.com/leadership-vs-management-can-you-be-good-at-both.html "Leadership vs. Management – Can You Be Good At Both?") is, and will be, required to realise these potentially huge rewards and create a high performing team. The converse of this is where [teams and individuals will work remotely](https://www.financedigest.com/build-a-strong-remote-team-with-these-5-steps.html "Build A Strong Remote Team With These 5 Steps") and are not led or managed appropriately. Typically this results in a downturn in [business performance and a significant reduction in retention of key](https://www.financedigest.com/could-ai-hold-the-key-to-business-recovery.html "Could AI hold the key to business recovery?") people. This is not a new concept. Organisations like Price Waterhouse Cooper [studied their agility a few years](https://www.financedigest.com/europe-facing-its-worst-drought-in-500-years-study.html "Europe facing its worst drought in 500 years – study") ago. This led to [remote working](https://www.financedigest.com/the-psychology-of-long-term-remote-working-productivity-vs-inclusivity.html "The psychology of long-term remote working: Productivity vs. Inclusivity") and hot desking being part of a raft of new policies and procedures. Those that got it right saved a huge amount in office and travel [costs plus reduced down time](https://www.financedigest.com/netflixs-gaming-foray-will-cost-time-and-money-wall-st.html "Netflix’s gaming foray will cost time and money – Wall St"). They became significantly more profitable as a result. **What purpose does an office now serve?** As reported in The Economist 26th June, until a year ago the [office was the ‘locus of all business](https://www.financedigest.com/tips-for-choosing-the-right-chief-finance-officer-for-your-business.html "Tips for Choosing the Right Chief Finance Officer for Your Business") activity’. It accommodated all professional, and some social, interaction. But now we know differently. Many [reports have shown that the majority of employees feel they can be more productive working from home](https://www.financedigest.com/brexit-begins-to-bite-spanish-holiday-home-budgets-reports-kyero-com.html "Brexit begins to bite Spanish holiday home budgets reports Kyero.com"). These findings have led to [companies re-visiting the requirement for a permanent office](https://www.financedigest.com/hundreds-of-tyson-foods-employees-to-depart-as-company-closes-offices-wsj.html "Hundreds of Tyson Foods employees to depart as company closes offices – WSJ"). [Google has announced they will experiment with a flexible working week where those without heavy customer facing roles will come into the office](https://www.financedigest.com/microsoft-unveils-ai-office-copilot-in-fast-moving-race-with-google.html "Microsoft unveils AI office copilot in fast-moving race with Google") for only three days. These ‘in office’ days will be for collaboration, allowing the employees to [work from home](https://www.financedigest.com/savile-row-designer-on-working-from-home-winter-attire.html "Savile Row Designer on Working From Home Winter Attire") the other weekdays without distraction. [Companies will now need](https://www.financedigest.com/why-companies-need-to-rethink-retirement-tips-for-ensuring-a-happy-life-in-later-years.html "Why companies need to rethink retirement – Tips for ensuring a happy life in later years") to consider their old space, whether downsizing is necessary and possible. This could free up [funds which could be used for new technology and to improve employee](https://www.financedigest.com/norway-wealth-fund-employee-sues-for-workplace-gender-discrimination.html "Norway wealth fund employee sues for workplace gender discrimination") wellbeing. What do you need to consider? Previously many have been in the mindset of [working from home](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-make-working-from-home-work-for-you.html "How to make working from home work for you") being part of a ‘temporary solution’, a reaction to the pandemic. We now need to shift into a state of relative permanence, acknowledging that the [world of work and employee expectations have significantly changed](https://www.financedigest.com/deloitte-research-reveals-inaction-on-climate-change-could-cost-the-worlds-economy-us178-trillion-by-2070.html "Deloitte research reveals inaction on climate change could cost the world’s economy US8 trillion by 2070"). All [business owners](https://www.financedigest.com/small-business-owners-are-highly-optimistic-about-2017.html "Small Business Owners Are Highly Optimistic About 2017 ") require a strategic shift to embed these new ways of working. Important questions to reflect on include: - Which staff need to [work together](https://www.financedigest.com/alone-together-how-to-maintain-a-positive-company-culture-while-working-remotely.html "Alone together: How to maintain a positive company culture while working remotely")? - What type of space do these employees need? - What is the new routine for each team? - Do they need extra equipment? - What additional [support do managers](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-manage-burnout-and-how-leaders-should-support-employee-wellbeing-tom-keya.html "How to manage burnout and how leaders should support employee wellbeing | Tom Keya") need? - What additional training is required? **The new hybrid approach** Some employees will have thrived at home, whereas others will be keen to [return to the office](https://www.financedigest.com/are-we-witnessing-the-great-return-to-the-office.html "Are we witnessing the great return to the office?"). In this respect a hybrid approach will [create a potentially more enjoyable experience](https://www.financedigest.com/customer-experience-creating-the-calm-in-the-chaos.html "Customer Experience: creating the calm in the chaos") for all? Only if managed correctly. **This is a Sponsored Feature.** --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---