McKinsey survey reveals long road ahead to achieve flexible working
New research suggests that more is still to be done when it comes to adapting to the new world of work, with even leading companies not yet adopting truly flexible work patterns
How hybrid is your company? You may have implemented a hybrid working strategy and downsized your space, but is your new strategy as flexible and efficient as it could be? These are the questions that a new report from McKinsey aims to address by reviewing whether major companies have adopted best practice when it comes to hybrid work.
McKinsey’s survey of 50 employee experience executives suggests that while companies are collecting relevant data and implementing strategies, they are still a far cry from adopting truly flexible hybrid working models.
Key indicators of best practice
In its report, McKinsey has identified key indicators of best practice when it comes to hybrid working. These indicators range from actively including employee wellbeing into decision making to the availability of advanced workplace technology to allow employees to work from anywhere.
The report reveals that only one third of these indicators are being implemented consistently by companies, suggesting that there is a long way to go for many companies on the journey towards adopting hybrid work. McKinsey suggests that old-fashioned attitudes, such as hours spent in the office equalling productive work, might be holding companies back on their hybrid journeys.
Positive steps forward
Despite these challenges, there is some good news. Almost all companies surveyed had some sort of process of policy for evaluating employee feedback when it comes to the workplace, a significant number had adopted high-quality technologies to allow people to work from anywhere, and almost all respondents said that thinking about climate change and sustainability was part of their decision-making process.
These are foundational priorities for companies looking to adapt to a new world of work, so their large-scale adoption is a positive step for the workplace.
This report, authored by McKinsey experts Phil Kirschner, Adrian Kwok, and Julia McClatchy tells a clear story about how and why almost all companies are struggling with hybrid work. Read more about the 12 key steps for seamless hybrid adoption here.
