James Tamm, Director of Legal Services at Ellis Whittam, says that while it’s too early for most to say what form of working is their best long-term bet, employers must at this point ensure regular dialogue with their employees.

He advises: “Managers should engage teams in planning processes, which will help to ensure potential issues and grievances are identified early on.”

However, despite concerns that a lack of consultation around return to work plans may lead to friction later down the line, our research revealed that organisations aren’t overly worried about refusals to return to work and other safety-related disputes, with only 4% of employers predicting that this will be their biggest business disruptor over the next few months.

Instead, employers are primarily concerned about staff absence (38%) and planning the return to the workplace and finding solutions that keep everyone happy (28%).

Meanwhile, when asked whether they would implement productivity measurements to understand performance at home versus performance the workplace, over half (51%) of employers don’t feel this is needed, suggesting a degree of trust in their staff. Just 15% are currently monitoring the impact of location on performance, while a quarter (25%) say they lack the technology to do this.

Finally, in terms of timescales, 29% of organisations have already brought everybody back to the workplace, and a further 29% are planning to do so by the end of September. 31% say they are still working this out.

James Tamm said: “The disparity between fully office-based and hybrid working policies will create very different company cultures and operational challenges, so this isn’t a decision that businesses should take lightly. I’d highly encourage employers to engage with their employees to find the best way forward, particularly if you’re contemplating hybrid working as this will likely involve a contractual change and therefore require agreement.”

“Time is of the essence as employees will soon be demanding answers either way. Given the planning and consultation involved in making changes to working arrangements, all businesses considering making hybrid working part of their normal working pattern must act now.”