{"id":62175,"date":"2023-10-19T20:38:11","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T20:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/explore.local\/2023\/10\/19\/how-ld-can-help-bridge-todays-return-to-office-chasm\/"},"modified":"2025-04-04T20:15:23","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T20:15:23","slug":"how-ld-can-help-bridge-todays-return-to-office-chasm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/degreed.com\/experience\/pt-br\/blog\/how-ld-can-help-bridge-todays-return-to-office-chasm\/","title":{"rendered":"How L&D Can Help Bridge Today\u2019s Return-to-Office Chasm<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Capturing the dynamics of a workplace debate that\u2019s been simmering since the first major onslaught of Covid-19, media outlets around the globe are chronicling story<\/a> after story<\/a> after story<\/a> pitting employees against employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The friction? More and more companies are requiring their people return to shared, physical office spaces in an end to years of pandemic-fueled work-from-home policies. Scores of those affected by the new rules aren\u2019t happy. One recent survey found that 66% of respondents were already working in an office full-time<\/a>. That same Owl Labs poll of 2,000 U.S.-based workers, published in September, discovered only 22% wanted to be in an office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another new survey found that 90% of businesses plan to implement return-to-office policies by the end of 2024<\/a>. That Resume Builder study also found more than 50% of the 1,000 business leaders polled said they currently track or will track attendance; 72% said return-to-office improves revenue; and 28% said their companies will threaten to fire employees who don\u2019t comply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In response to return-to-office mandates, \u201csome workers are choosing to quit,\u201d noted a recent and blunt Washington Post report<\/a>. \u201cWorkers say their reasons for quitting include everything from family to commuting expenses to being required to relocate. And many workers worry that people like those with disabilities or who are primary caregivers may be left behind due to their inability to successfully work from the office.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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L&D in the crossfire?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All this displeasure is enough to discourage learning and people teams, groups typically stacked with professionals ardently focused on boosting morale, building culture, enhancing employee engagement, and polishing employer brands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But take heart, L&D pros! The tumultuous changes roiling today\u2019s workplace climate don\u2019t have to be a downer. In fact, they present a unique opportunity for your learning initiatives to shine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why? Simply put, L&D has something to offer all workers\u2014whether they be remote, office-based, hybrid, or otherwise. L&D by virtue of the enrichment it provides can play a big part in turning any disgruntled employee\u2019s frown upside down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a closer look at how:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Understand your employees.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Positioning L&D to pacify discontent and help drive employee satisfaction requires a couple things. The first is a good understanding of how your people feel about their current situation at your organization and how those attitudes are affecting their day-to-day activities. The second is a strategy for engaging your people in positive ways that boost their morale and productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe central challenge for organizations is to move as many workers as possible away from the highly dissatisfied group. . . and toward greater engagement and commitment,\u201d according to new research by McKinsey & Company<\/a>. \u201cSuch a strategy would give workers the opportunity to develop their skills, reducing dissatisfaction and attrition rates and bringing clear financial and organizational benefits over the long term.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, McKinsey found \u201cemployee disengagement and attrition could cost a median-size S&P 500 company between $228 million and $355 million a year in lost productivity. Over five years, that\u2019s at least $1.1 billion in lost value per company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help business leaders understand employee attitudes toward the workplace, McKinsey identified six employee types or \u201carchetypes\u201d ranked across a spectrum of satisfaction, engagement, performance, and well-being. At one end are highly dissatisfied and actively disengaged Quitters (an estimated 10% of the workforce) followed by Disruptors (11%), the Mildly Disengaged (32%), Double Dippers (5%), the Reliable and Committed (38%), and Thriving Stars (4%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To add a bit more context, the Disruptors are likely to demoralize others, the Mildly Disengaged are doing the bare minimum, the Double Dippers have another job or side hustle, the Reliable and Committed are going above and beyond, and the Thriving Stars are creating value while elevating others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While these archetypes might not perfectly align to your workforce, my hope is they provide a helpful\u2014and timely\u2014framework you can use to start thinking about and understanding the attitudes underpinning the current contributions (or lack thereof) of your people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If it makes sense to draw your own categories, go for it. The important thing is to build a current snapshot of employee attitudes\u2014and desires\u2014relevant to your organization. In turn, you can use this information to help build engaging L&D programs designed to more fully meet the needs of your employees and<\/em> company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employee surveys are a great way to check in with your people and get feedback that leads to ideas on how you can make L&D programs more responsive. In addition to providing you with a wealth of useful data, surveys can demonstrate you\u2019re interested in what your people are interested in, which can make them feel valued. When you implement employee ideas, you can tell your team your strategy was directly influenced by feedback. That can help boost morale and increase engagement in future surveys as well as your learning programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Give your people on-the-job development they crave.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If your goal is to make malcontents happier and more productive, give them opportunities to learn and grow. It doesn\u2019t matter where or when they work<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to the office politics of your company\u2019s office policies, you and your L&D team can strive to be agnostic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professional development is in demand. Research overwhelmingly corroborates the importance of professional development to today\u2019s workers<\/a>. Indeed, an October 2021 study of technology industry professionals<\/a> found 91% of respondents wanted more training opportunities from their employers. At the same time, 75% said their employers prioritized attracting new talent over investing in current talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The 2022 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report<\/a> found employees who feel their skills aren\u2019t being used in their current job are 10 times more likely to be looking for a new job<\/a> than those who feel the opposite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All these statistics point to the importance of building and honoring employee skill sets. Enter on-the-job learning, which can take many forms including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n