New research shows 19 out of 20 U.S. and EU CEOs plan to stick with hybrid workplace strategies for the foreseeable future. Now, they’re focused on implementing better ways to manage and optimize.
A recent survey by The Conference Board shows something really interesting as we move into 2023: An apparent “emerging equilibrium” around remote work in economies that leapt into hybrid models during the pandemic.
According to the data, just 4% of CEOs in the U.S. and Europe are looking to dial back the hybrid policies they put in place. Only a little more than that, 5%, are looking to expand these policies. Very few CEOs are prioritizing the “return to office” conversation in 2023.
“For many, the challenge now is how to optimize a hybrid work model,” the researchers write — and that’s what my team is seeing here at Upflex as we talk to real estate and HR leaders at enterprises around the world. Companies are settling into hybrid. Talent is happy with the arrangement. Now, leadership just needs better ways to measure the results. They want to understand utilization — of desks, meeting rooms and private office space, by team, by geography, and by day of the week. And they want to understand spend, so they can plan ahead when it comes to budget.
That is possible in the world of hybrid. When we launched our data-driven management platform here at Upflex, we liked to call it Hybrid Work 2.0. Today, I think it should be the baseline. This technology to help company leaders manage, optimize, iterate and customize their workspace management strategy in the hybrid workplace — just as they did in the traditional office — is key to making hybrid work sustainable, not just for employers, but for the workforce, and for CRE providers, too.
Hybrid work can be complicated, but as this Conference Board research shows, it’s already become the standard for companies worldwide. The right tech brings all the moving parts together, making it convenient, seamless, and even more cost-effective. When a company leader can say they have a remote work strategy in place and that all these boxes are ticked, that’s the “future of work” we’ve all been looking forward to.
