With more employees wanting to work remotely, it is the perfect time for employers to embrace a hybrid work model, recommends Gartner, Inc.

Employers should adopt an employee-driven approach to flexible working that empowers workers to choose where, when and how they work, Gartner says, adding that flexible working should be destigmatized by making it the default, not the exception, and developing principles, around flexible working.

“Force-fitting a design created for a different environment exacerbates fatigue and fatigue impacts many talent outcomes,” stresses Alexia Cambon, director in the Gartner HR practice.

“When employees experience high levels of fatigue, employee performance decreases by up to 33%, feelings of inclusion decrease by up to 44% and employees are up to 54% less likely to remain with their employer.” Only 4% of current hybrid or remote employees say they would choose to return fully on-site as their preferred option.

“Organizations have reacted to this crisis by recreating what they know, but rather than merely adapting principles from the on-site environment to the hybrid world,” says Jérôme Mackowiak, director, advisory, in the Gartner HR practice.

“Forcing employees to go back to the on-site environment could result in employers losing up to 39% of their workforce.” Office-centric design relies on the serendipitous “water-cooler” moments to drive innovation, he notes.

In fact, organizations still cite this as the primary reason for returning employees to the office. HR leaders believe synchronous work – individuals working together whether in-person or virtually – is most critical to drive innovation. But Gartner says its data shows that asynchronous work is just as important to achieving team innovation.