The availability of flexible scheduling agreements and the evolution of work models (remote, in-person and hybrid) were some of the biggest global changes in the corporate market in the last four years. This possibility gained prominence during the pandemic, but since then it has been losing relevance
According to the report People at Work 2024: A Global Workforce View,produced by the ADP Research Institute, flexibility in working hours is a very important aspect for 30% of Brazilian professionals and the work model is a significant criterion for about 16% of them. Globally, alternative hours are valuable for 25% of employees, while 15% value flexible formats
In Brazil, 57% of professionals are in a hybrid regime, 41% need to have a full presence in the office (every day of the week) and only 2% work remotely. The study also shows that the percentage of the global workforce working in 100% in-person models increased from 52% in 2022 to nearly 55% in the last year, with a two-point reduction in the percentage of hybrid workers. With 12%, the share of professionals in the world who work remotely has hardly changed
Globally, among the most valued items by workers, the work model and schedule flexibility are already losing out to salary, work safety, pleasure in activities and career progression
Remote professionals also feel more threatened, with 24% of them feeling insecure at work. No hybrid regime, 20% feel insecure, and 19% feel the same in person
"The search for flexible work agreements will not disappear", but it is no longer a priority among other characteristics of the job market that professionals value, how career progression and job satisfaction, affirms Dr.. Nela Richardson, chief economist of ADP. Our research offers an important lesson for employers. Although employees enjoy the autonomy that flexible work formats offer, they also feel that their employers are monitoring them more. Companies should establish clear standards for external work and communicate them transparently to foster trust, complete
Multigenerational approach
With the presence of a more mature workforce alongside a new generation entering the market, companies will need to address the different priorities of professionals of varying ages. In the future, balancing corporate initiatives that support multiple generations will be essential to promote a positive work environment
There are some key differentiation factors between older and younger professionals at the moment
- Adults aged 25 to 34 are less likely than any other group to make daily pleasure at work a top priority (26%)
- 17% of adults aged 18 to 24 value the freedom to choose where to work, compared to 13% of employees aged 55 and over
- Most employees aged between 45 and 54 rank salary as the top priority (62%). Remuneration is prioritized by 56% of professionals aged between 25 and 34 years and by only 44% of employees aged between 18 and 24 years
- For professionals aged over 55 years, the flexibility of schedule is still quite important. In this track, 31% place flexible hours among their top priorities, in comparison with less than 24% of those aged 18 to 24
Workers feel monitored
The majority of the workforce believes that their employers monitor their time and attendance, regardless of where they are, but this belief is more prevalent among remote workers (68%). Hybrid employees (65%) are also more likely than their in-person colleagues (60%) to feel that they are being watched
The perception is the same among managers: they also feel the attentive gaze of their companies. More than 77% of them say that their employers are watching them more closely, in comparison with 46% of the led
The belief that employers are monitoring their employees more than ever does not prevail in all sectors. In social communication, marketing, IT and telecommunications – segments that tend to be more remote – the professionals' suspicions intensify. Paradoxically, the Health segment, in which many functions must be performed personally, has the highest percentage of workers (73%) who say they feel more monitored than ever
Already in the travel segments, transportation, retail,meals and leisure – where professionals are more likely to be in contact with clients and to work in person – fewer employees feel that their time and presence are being monitored more closely
To obtain more information, read the report "People at Work 2024: A Global Workforce View”.
