In-office visibility may be at the center of some “productivity paranoia” for workers — even though the vast majority of workers surveyed said their managers trust them to do their work from anywhere, according to an Envoy report released Feb. 22.
Notably, workers don’t believe the same about their fellow employees, the survey showed. More than three-quarters of those surveyed said they trust co-workers to get work done while in the office, while only 24% said they trust co-workers to get work done remotely. Envoy said this may be due to workers mirroring the distrust of leaders, signaling the pressure remote work may place on workplace cultures.
Over 95% of leaders said in a previous Envoy report they notice employees’ work contributions more when employees come into the office. And amid recession concerns, in-office work may be seen as a critical advantage in helping retain visibility when layoffs are on the table.
However, especially in a hybrid environment, teamwork may matter more than individual performance. More than half of workers surveyed said their managers value group productivity over individual performances.
Employers will want to tread carefully regarding remote worker engagement, other studies have said. Access to remote work can level the playing field for caregivers and other workers — meaning employers will need to make sure talent management systems can accommodate different working situations equitably.