Think Tech Workers Want Remote Work? Think Again: 5 Ways To Respond

Careers Think Tech Workers Want Remote Work? Think Again: 5 Ways To Respond Tracy Brower Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I write about happiness, work-life fulfillment and the future of work. New! Follow this author to improve your content experience.

Got it! Jun 28, 2022, 09:06am EDT | New! Click on the conversation bubble to join the conversation Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Hybrid will be the future of work for tech. getty The talent revolution is in full swing, and even with threats of a recession, tech workers will still be in high demand. They have the skills companies need and the ability to shift jobs with ease.

Many employers assume tech workers want remote work—and that offering the opportunity to work away from the office is the best way to attract them and keep them around. But this is a myth with only 18% of tech employees preferring remote work, according to a new study. What do tech employees really want? And how should their expectations inform the way employers think about creating work experiences for all of their people? The Influence of Tech Tech workers are a great place to start in considering the work experience, because tech is a significant sector of the economy, and it is therefore influential for many other areas of work.

In fact, according to data sources , the tech industry is the second biggest driver of the U. S. economy—second only to healthcare—making up 10.

5% of GDP. And the global tech industry is worth $5. 2 trillion.

Tech workers make up 7. 9% of the U. S.

labor force, and 46% of them are under the age of 40. They also out-earn other workers making, on average, 85% more than other workers. What Tech Workers Want Often, companies assume tech workers are introverts who prefer to work at home alone, but of course this is an overgeneralization.

A new study by Eden Workplace finds a much more nuanced picture of what tech workers want—and these findings have implications for how to create great work experiences for all workers. They Want Hybrid Work. Contrary to popular opinion, only 18% of tech workers want to work away from the office full time , and 34% prefer to work in an office full time.

Nearly half want hybrid work in which they can work in the office sometimes, and remote at other times. This is specific to generations, with Gen Z workers preferring to be in the office more than other generations. They Want Choices.

Most tech workers are committed to having choices about where they work, with 95% saying it’s important to have the ability to work remotely and 63% reporting if they don’t have the option to work remote, it would affect their willingness to take a job or stay at a job. In fact, getting them into an office full time will be tough, with 64% saying they would demand a 20% pay increase to work in the office 5 days a week. They Want Flexibility for Work-Life.

For tech workers, flexibility is more important than pay. They value flexibility because it helps them take care of at-home responsibilities (37%) and care for children and other family members (28%). In addition, they value flexibility so they can avoid an everyday commute (22%).

They Want Connection and Mentorship. One of the reasons tech workers don’t want full-time remote work is because of their desire to collaborate with colleagues, connect with co-workers and access leaders. In fact, 44% of tech workers say if they work away from the office too much, they miss community and camaraderie that comes from working with others.

They also say they have difficulty communicating (35%) and they miss opportunities for mentorship (26%). MORE FOR YOU Empathy Is The Most Important Leadership Skill According To Research Why U. S.

Talent Shortages Are At A 10-Year High You Probably Need More Friends—Here’s How To Make Them Creating great work experiences is important for all employees. getty Creating Great Work Experiences for Everyone Based on what tech workers want, employers can inform their decisions about creating great experience for all kinds of employees. Wise strategies include the following.

Create a Culture Which Compels Create a culture where people feel a sense of purpose and clear direction where their work is connected to what matters to the company and to them. Ensure the culture creates the conditions for belonging and good relationships with colleagues, high levels of respect and the opportunity to share ideas, process differences of opinion, innovate and execute with excellence. These are the kinds of cultures where people will want to show up in the office, and also engage from home—cultures where they will want to contribute.

Ensure Processes Are Clear Well-designed processes empower people and help them feel a line of sight from their work to others’ work. Especially in a context of hybrid work, teams are wise to be clear about which parts of their work cycles benefit from in-person time and which are just fine at a distance. In addition, when people have a sense of guidelines for when to come into the office, it can help them connect more efficiently—not having to make a decision every day about when to come in—but rather having a sense of which days face-to-face work will be prevalent and team members will be onsite for connections.

Provide Access to Leaders People want to access to leaders , and they want leaders to be present—so encouraging leaders to show up for people both in the office and virtually are great ideas. In addition, smart companies are providing development opportunities and feedback for leaders, so they can ensure they’re evolving their skills to manage in new ways given hybrid work. Align Work and Growth Opportunities People want to know their work matters and is recognized.

As much as possible, align people’s current skills and passions to their work responsibilities and understand where they want to grow, providing development opportunitie s so they can see a bright future with the organization. Design Great Workplaces Perhaps most obvious is the need to create offices which are worth the commute. Work has changed fundamentally and workplaces should as well.

Design workplaces where people can collaborate, connect, socialize and feel part of a community. But also ensure offices include areas where people can get away and perform focused work, and places where they can learn both formally and informally. Create places which enrich and nourish with daylight, natural elements and terrific amenities.

All of these will make the office a place people want to be. In Sum Most tech workers don’t want to work from home all the time—and in fact in many occupations, employees want some time in the office. The best thing about hybrid work is the way it can be the best of both worlds—offering the opportunity for flexibility and quality of life, but also great workplaces people want to be in order to connect, collaborate and be part of a community.

With all the shifts in work, this is a terrific time to reinvent and reimagine work for all kinds of workers. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn . Check out my website or some of my other work here .

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