Power Shift: Employees in Control

With the promise of higher vaccination rates, the U.S. economy continues to reopen. But as unemployment numbers drop, companies are having a hard time figuring out exactly how to get employees back to the office. Doing it safely because we are still in a pandemic is only one factor. While many company leaders prefer a return to the office, many employees want more flexibility in their work schedule, having experienced working in a remote capacity due to pandemic restrictions. A shift happened, and it’s increasing in strength, with employees holding more influence and power. The work itself, how we work, where we work/where we live, and why we go to the office has changed and will continue to evolve. Make no mistake, these changes were already happening and have only been accelerated by the pandemic. Companies, leaders/managers of every company will need to address them on an individual basis and must think differently to imagine a productive, sustainable hybrid/flexible work model that is effective for their company and their employees. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.