If you’re a company asking for the return to office 5 days a week, you’re not alone!
Candidates are resisting, as you might expect. I’d say that right now only 2 in 10 will accept a full 5-day role.
A further 3 in 10 would consider, but they ask for paid lunch or travel expenses etc and increased salary. So that means you only really see 50% of the talent pool.
Why companies want people back in
But the reasons companies want people back in are legitimate (even though LinkedIn might not like it). Osmosis learning. Real mentorship from the leadership team. Collaboration. That’s the kind of culture you can’t build over Slack.
More candidates looking for jobs than roles created means the negotiation power has shifted towards companies hiring.
I do see a high proportion of 5-days-a-week roles within Fintech, but I’m still not sure if that’s an accurate reflection of the London job market or that’s because they’re harder to hire for so an agency is needed.
Why 4 days in is the sweet spot
Personally, I think that 4 days in is the sweet spot. That’s enough presence to build the culture you want, with some flexibility allowing you to stay competitive on hiring, also opens up the talent pool.
My ‘controversial’ take is that in 12 months time, in-office as standard will be back as the norm in sectors outside Fintech as well.
Will in-office be the norm again?
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Your personal preferences aside, do you think in-office is going to be as normal as it was pre-2020?