Compulsory attendance at the office not an issue at most companies

The home office obligation due to the Corona pandemic ended in Switzerland at the end of June. Even though telecommuting is still recommended, it basically opens up the option of returning to the office. But how exactly do companies want to enable on-site working? The latest labor market study by Robert Half, a specialist provider of talent solutions, shows: Nearly half of companies (42 %) currently do not require employees to be present in the office.

Home office remains even after the pandemic

"The return to the office is happening very cautiously. With the fourth wave of Corona starting up, companies are keeping the number of employees in the office small and preferring to rely on hybrid work models," says Eva Mahoney, associate director at Robert Half.

More than half (58 %) of the companies in the labor market survey stated that more than 30 % of the workforce currently work exclusively from home. If nearly one in two companies (42 %) have their way, home office will remain an important part of the work culture in the future. They think that even after the pandemic, more than a third of their employees will work from home.

Companies plan with smaller office spaces

Instead of returning to the office entirely, 44 % of companies are thinking about reducing office space and 41 % want to reconsider office location. In each case, around one in three companies would like to move to new premises to adapt to changing needs or are considering closing individual offices.

"The pandemic has brought about major changes at companies. While home office was more of a desired topic for job candidates before, it is now the companies themselves that are pushing this form of working. More and more employers are asking themselves not so much if, but how and according to what principles they will enable hybrid working in the future," says Mahoney.

Source: Robert Half