If 2022 was characterized by mass layoffs, then 2023 can be summed up by the overwhelming number of companies asking their workers to return to the office. But one study isn’t so sure about the future of office-based working.
Research from Riverbed has uncovered that almost all (98%) business leaders believe that hybrid work can enhance their company’s talent acquisition and retention.
The findings come amid a global shortage of skilled workers, which sees companies struggle to stay on top of digital trends like artificial intelligence.
Hybrid working isn’t going anywhere, says study
More than one-third (34%) said that they’re short on IT personnel, while nearly half (45%) said that they have enough staff, but that they don’t have the right skills.
The study, which focuses on the financial services and insurance industry, found that many organizations are getting prepared to offer greater digital employee experiences, with nine in 10 (92%) believing that they’ll need to provide more digital tools to satisfy a more modern workforce.
While remote working looks to be an integral part of workers’ lives going forward, some in-office work remains pertinent. Riverbed says that a novel approach to incentivize workers to go to their formal workspace could be needed, including weekly happy hours, free coffee and snacks, and company merchandise and giveaways.
Looking ahead, it’s proving crucial that companies employ the latest and greatest technologies in order to support their hybrid workforces. Nine in 10 (89%) survey participants said that they’d be investing in technology over the next 12-18 months to support hybrid workers, while AI and cloud were on the tips of the tongues of 50% of the leaders, respectively.
Speaking of talent loss, John Atkinson, Director Solutions Engineering, UKI, at Riverbed, said that: “Leaders understand the situation at hand and are taking proactive steps to invest in technologies such as AI and unified observability, helping boost staff and customer loyalty.”