8 out of 10 employees are citing hybrid working schedule as an important factor when looking for work according to Alexandros Koudounas, Partnership Sales Manager Greece and Cyprus of the International Workplace Group (IWG) in the context of his participation in the 3rd Premium Real Estate Expo conference.
In the context of his speech, Mr. Koudounas highlighted some trends according to a recent IWG survey, where 81% of employees state that the possibility of hybrid work is an important factor when looking for work, with 90% desiring hybrid work and only 11% wish to return to the previous model and go to the office 5 days a week. On the enterprise side, 89% report higher retention rates due to flexible work models, with 88% of companies planning to fully transition to a flexible work model.
According to a JLL's research cited by Mr. Koudounas, 30% of office spaces worldwide will be "flexible" by 2030, compared to less than 5% today, making hybrid work a new way of working, more environmentally friendly, more flexible and more productive. With this model, according to research, employees are happier and more focused on their work.
As Mr. Koudounas said, "Hybrid work is a better work model for both businesses and employees. For this reason, it is important for employers to understand the needs of this new generation of workers in order to be able to retain talent in their companies, but also to strengthen the image of their company as a good employer."
With regards to the younger generation of employees, Mr. Koudounas emphasized that the balance between professional and personal life, fair pay, reduced commuting time and the alignment of values are key job selection criteria. More specifically, "4 out of 5 workers" as he noted "would now spend only 30 minutes or less commuting, with 77% of workers stressing that having the workplace closer to their home is a necessary condition for the new work.”
Around this new generation of workers and their needs is also based the model of the "15 Minute City" which many big cities around the world have announced their intention to adopt and according to research by IWG and Arup in the UK market, it is found that hybrid working will result in an extra £327m being spent on local communities by 2030.
