Work

Smart working, motivation 'costs' a 30% increase in return to headquarters

Research by the recruitment company Hays among 700 smart workers shows that only 14% would accept the decision. The others would look for another job or ask for a higher salary

by Cristina Casadei

30 October 2024

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Smart working is perceived not only as an organisational mode, but also as a benefit. It is no coincidence that squeezing or requests to return to the office always generate a certain unease and are almost never voluntary. A survey carried out by the recruiting company Hays Italia, in collaboration with the law firm Daverio&Florio, involving over 700 workers who are taking advantage of smart working, shows that for only 14% of workers the return to the office would have no impact. To accept the cancellation of agile working, professionals ask for around 30% more than their current net salary: on average around 7,000 euros per year.

The professionals involved in the survey in 68% of cases on average, with a peak of 72% concerning women, say they would start looking for a new job, but without leaving the one they have. Only 7% say they would leave it without having an alternative. Women, workers between 25 and 34 years old and employees of large companies, who hold junior or intermediate positions, appear to be the most critical in their answers

The cost of returning to the office

Every organisational change brings with it enthusiasm and discontent. A return to the past, of which there are still no clear signs in Italy, if we exclude the small and medium-sized companies that used the tool during the emergency phase of the pandemic, would therefore come at a cost. Either in terms of engagement or in economic terms.

Many respondents would also be willing to change their minds, but at that point the economic aspect becomes a key factor: in order to adapt to the end of smart working, they would like an average salary increase of around 30%. If we consider the average Italian net salary, Hays calculates an increase of around 7 thousand euros. An unsustainable cost for many companies.

The focus on motivation

"It is clear from the survey that smart working is now one of the first elements evaluated by job seekers, and companies that decide to return to the classic mode will have to carefully and cautiously manage the transition," interprets Alessio Campi, People & Culture Director of HAYS Italia. This is especially true for current employees, at least in the short term: "Only a small part would be willing to stay in their current company without working remotely, so much so that provocatively almost two thirds of those interviewed now consider smart working a de facto right," Campi observes.

Benefit or vested right?

When we talk about smart working, however, are we talking about an acquired right or a benefit granted by companies? According to the Hays Italia survey, one fifth of smart workers (22%) consider it a right because it has become part of habit. Almost half (45%) think that although it is not currently a right enshrined in law, it should become one. Then there are those who say that whether or not smart working is granted is up to the company alone, based on its organisational structure and operational needs: almost one in three (31%) think so.

Employment lawyers Simone Brusa and Olindo Genovese of Studio Daverio&Florio try to shed some light on the matter: 'From a legal point of view, agile work must necessarily be the result of an agreement between the parties and is therefore not a right. On the other hand, it is undeniable that many workers - who in past years have enjoyed the benefits of working, at least in part, from home - perceive this possibility as a feature of their work. The 2017 rule was created not only to facilitate the 'reconciliation of work and life times', but also to 'increase the competitiveness' of companies, leaving the employer wide freedom in constructing organisational models'.

Generational and gender differences

The answers vary according to generation and gender. There are in fact substantial differences between the over-50s and the 25-34 year-olds: for the former it is less of a problem to return to the office (34%) than for the younger ones (5%), just as the "older" consider smart working a benefit and not a right: 49% against 25%. As for gender differences, for only 10% of women returning to the company would not be a problem, compared to 16% of men. And in the event of the elimination of smart working as many as 73% would start looking for a new job: among men this percentage drops to 63%. But if for men salary is the only aspect that could compensate for the discomfort of the lack of agile working, for women it is undoubtedly the greater hourly flexibility compared to the average. Different views also emerge according to company size: in fact, those who work in a small or medium-sized enterprise appear to be less critical towards return: in this case return would not be a problem for 22% of respondents. The same answer is given by 16% of those who work in medium-sized companies, 12% of employees of large companies and 10% of multinationals.