The decision to implement a mandatory policy to increase office attendance remains a risky move for employers, potentially leading to decreased engagement or greater turnover. Encouragement is a better approach, but for it to be effective, reliable data on the factors associated with office attendance is needed. And these are not always obvious. In the report titled “Hybrid Work Insights 4.0. The Game of Returns,” experts from Colliers Define have analysed the factors that are significantly associated with the frequency of office attendance[1]. The publication also provides advice on making informed decisions in this area, tailored to the unique needs of the team.
Identifying Key Factors
Since survey respondents are not always aware of the specific factors that influence their motivation, Colliers Define’s experts asked about significant areas related to their job duties in the survey: from remote working conditions and flexible hours, through the quality of office space, to relationships with superiors and colleagues. Thanks to the application of statistical analyses, it was possible to identify not only relationships but also the strength of the connection of individual actions with office attendance. The results showed that what works in one group of employees can have the opposite effect in another, which is why universal approaches to hybrid work often fail.
Autonomy and Convenience
One of the most crucial factors associated with office attendance is the freedom to decide about the place of work. The survey results show that employees who have the option to independently choose whether and when they will show up at the office, spend on average 0.3 fewer days a week there than people who do not have this freedom. Interestingly, a similar effect was observed in the case of flexible working hours – employees using such solutions stay in the office 0.5 days less. It turns out that a factor associated with higher attendance is a regular schedule of appearing at the office.
Relationships Yes, Benefits Not Necessarily
Contrary to many employers’ expectations, who mandate managers’ presence in the office in the hope of positively impacting employees, such action can have quite the opposite effect.
Demographic and Sector Differences
Colliers Define’s report also points out demographic differences in factors associated with office attendance. Women who have flexible working hours spend on average 0.7 days less in the office than those without this privilege. On the other hand, men whose superior expects their presence show up at the office more often by 0.5 days a week.
Data-driven Decisions
The landscape of factors associated with office attendance is extremely varied, and the weight of individual aspects can differ depending on the demographics, specifics of teams, sector or role in the organization. That’s why what works in one company may be precisely what another organization should not do. To help employers verify which factors are significantly associated with attendance in their offices, we have developed the “Back to Office” tool. Reliable results will allow them to make informed and thoughtful decisions, responding to the actual needs of employees. This will help companies avoid the trap of undertaking actions based on unverified schemes. – concludes Dorota Osiecka, Partner, Director at Colliers Define.
[1] The report was based on a survey conducted by Colliers Define in 2024 on a representative sample of 1034 Polish office workers from the largest regional cities from the public and private sector.
Source: https://managerplus.pl/jak-skutecznie-zwiekszyc-frekwencje-w-biurze-wnioski-z-raportu-hybrid-work-insights-4-0-28555
