Migrating from Work-from-home to work-from-hotel

The professional dynamics are shifting. Employers are urging its employees to join back in office, while employees show resistance. The newfound flexibility, freedom, and virtual work routine, particularly embraced by the newer workforce- Gen Z, pose a challenge for businesses at they strive to restore the conventional 9-5 office setting.

While Businesses are struggling to drag their employees to conventional offices, hospitality industry can offer a helping hand through reimagined workspaces, striking a balance of work and leisure.

Businesses are retrieving their employees from home now:

During the pandemic, all businesses were forced to find non-conventional work models to keep their businesses afloat. At that time, employees suffered the most. With office and home sandwiched under one roof, the rigid office timings stood torn apart. The employees were working anytime and every time. The same agony was shared by their employers. Without any monitoring technique to track employee’s actual practice, employers were struck with virtual meetings and online interactions to track well-being of their employees.

As the pandemic slowed down, employees have found peace and comfort amidst the remote working situation. But the employers are struggling still. Tracking employee’s progress digitally is a data-driven process, with neglects human-element altogether. It is just numbers and charts which highlight the employee performance in percentages, but it lacks the human touch, which can be better monitored face-to-face.

Think of this, a person not able to perform due to mental stress could be better identified in office, rather than on virtual zoom call.

Apart from this, employers are worried about silent quitting, a trend that is catching waves among the younger workforce- especially Gen Z. Silent quitting or quite quitting is when an employee stops putting in the efforts for the job, without actually quitting the job; they get the bare minimum done, to get them through the day.

This trend rose to fame around same time when the trend of moonlighting was gaining popularity among the employees. In moonlighting, employee works for more than one employer, where employers are not aware of their other jobs. With some of the businesses, the practice is a direct breach of employee contract, but some businesses did not pre-plan, and were left vulnerable.

So, businesses are pressuring on returning their employees back in their cubicals for improved productivity and efficiency.

Employees are reluctant:

Employees, especially Gen Z, are reluctant to go back to the cubical. Most of Gen Z employees started their professional career amid pandemic or post-pandemic chaos. They have never experienced a real corporate life, including professional mannerism and etiquettes, suitable body language, dress sense and even professional jargon to communicate in the real world. And shickingly, they are reluctant to even join back and learn.

As per the report of Deccan Chronicles, 74% of 18-24 year-olds don’t wish to join office full time. Another survey from The Slack showed that merely 12% of the surveyed people wish to return to office, only for a hybrid working model.

Multiple media reports suggest that employees are reluctant to en extend of resigning the job instead of joining back.

Amid such resistance, employers are leaving no stone unturned. To lure the employees to offices, businesses are extending bonuses, incentives and promotions. This approach is supported by more than 82% of the managers in US and UK, which they believe is the right choice.

On the other hand, some businesses have opted with the ultimatum approach. Amazon, for instance, has asked its managers to fire any employee who does not bind with three-days-a-week, return-to-office mandate.

Google has added office attendance as a performance review criteria, while Goldman Sachs pushed on five-days-a-week office mandate.

While businesses are left with making difficult choices, what is it that will actually push newer generation to bind to office routines?

The Gen Z office setting:

With changing times, the definition of office has changed. The offices are not just confined to cubicles 

For the workforce that has thrived on the freedom to work from anywhere, the return to office spaces presents challenges. Virtual interactions have become the norm, and the prospect of face-to-face meetings and boardroom presentations feels unfamiliar. Gen Z employees; in particular, resist the conventional office setup, viewing it as dull and uninspiring. The demand is for workspaces that stimulate creativity and provide a balance between socialization and privacy.

Continue the Hybrid working model:

Gen Z started its professional career as a remote employee; scraping away everything in one go is a drastic change, increasing their chances of resistance. Employers should start with flexible working model, giving employees time to get accustomed to the new ecosystem. This approach is more emotional than intellectual.

We bring forward the thought of reimagining the workspace, birthing from the thought- why we need a conventional office after all; why can’t our office be lucrative, flexible, and safe space, where employees actually feel welcomed!

While not every industry can accommodate the change, 88% of the global organizations offered remote working during pandemic, then why can’t we continue.

Work-from-hotel is the new trend:

Amidst the array of solutions, hospitality industry stands as a compelling choice. Beyond its conventional role of providing accommodation, hotels are redefining the workspace paradigm by integrating disciplined workspaces with the comfort and flexibility desired by the modern workforce. Imaginative transformations within hotels can include the creation of vibrant co-working spaces, conversion of hotel rooms into private offices for enhanced focus, and the utilization of common areas for social interactions.

Many hotels around the world, including French Hotel chain, Novotel, Eaton Workshop, The curtain hotel and Members Club, Mama Shelter, and Selina, are tapping into the trend of co-working spaces. These spaces offer a combination of basic amenities such as- desk and printer, along with accommodation and leisure activities such as games and cafeterias.

Conclusion:

In times when Gen Z is making its debut to conventional professional industry, the line between traditional offices and hotels is blurring, giving rise to a new paradigm that merges work, leisure, and hospitality and as hotels around the world increasingly embraces this trend, they are not only accommodating travelers but also positioning themselves as hubs for productivity, creativity, and community engagement.