By Kirstie McDermott
If you're at an executive level, your motivation for coming in the office differs from the rest of the workforce, according to Slack's most recent Future Forum Pulse survey.
It found that while two-thirds of all workers (67%) say they prefer a hybrid arrangement––some work at home and some work in the office––it is executives who value putting in face time with management more. In fact, they value this at 1.6 times the rate of non-executives.
In the financial sector, leaders are urging workers back to the office. Goldman Sachs' CEO David Solomon said in January that, "Certainly Monday through Thursday, we're operating pretty close to the way we were operating before the pandemic".
The picture is similar at JPMorgan where CEO Jamie Dimon issued a memo to staff in April. "Everyone should be able to work five days a week in the office," was one of the messages communicated.
In particular, JPMorgan wants its management back in the office. "Our leaders play a critical role in reinforcing our culture and running our businesses.They have to be visible on the floor, they must meet with clients, they need to teach and advise, and they should always be accessible for immediate feedback and impromptu meetings," the memo to staff said.
Return to office mandates
The issue many take with return to office (RTO) mandates is that they don't reflect the reality of what workers themselves want, or the actual needs of the business. Perception, rather than reality, is behind many RTO policies.
According to Bob Simpson, a client advisor for messaging and change management at consulting firm Mercer, they are often about leaderships' "interpreted culture of the organization".
But workers like to do their work from home, at least some of the time. They report higher levels of productivity, they enjoy the time and money they save, and flexible working allows many people to address family and personal responsibilities too.
There are clear signs this is being eroded as RTO policies bite. According to new data from Pew Research Center, pre-pandemic, only 7% of Americans with jobs that can be done remotely were working from home all of the time.
That changed dramatically over the course of the Covid-19 crisis. In October 2020, 55% of workers were remote, with the figure dropping to 43% in January 2022, and down again to 35% this year.
Disciplinary action
Additionally, according to a recent survey from HBR, increasingly, managers are considering disciplinary action as a consequence of staff not coming into the office. Where employees don't think it matters, up to 32% of managers say it is a cause to terminate their employment.
A clear trend is emerging, and if you are finding that your hybrid schedule or ability to work from home is being compromised, you may be considering a move to a company where flexible working is enshrined. The Financial Planning Job Board features thousands of jobs in companies that are actively hiring, like the three below.
Analyst - Billing Operations - Finance & Administration, Bloomberg, New York
As an Analyst - Billing Operations - Finance & Administration you'll develop a deep understanding of Bloomberg services and serve as the go to person for all billing questions or for your specialized product. You'll apply your experience in Order-to-Cash SAP system to billing fundamentals, specifically how they translate through the sales orders, subscriptions, metered files, controls, invoicing, cash application, and revenue recognition. You'll need a Bachelor's degree or equivalent, a minimum of three years' of relevant experience in accounting, billing, and/or accounts receivable and a strong ability to solve problems, while prioritizing a high volume of tasks with a high degree of accuracy. Interested? Find out more here.
Director, Financial Reporting (Hybrid), Raymond James Financial, Saint Petersburg
The Director, Financial Reporting (Hybrid) role is a leadership position which will have the opportunity to transform processes as necessary, while ensuring that Raymond James Financial is operating in the most efficient and effective manner. You'll also oversee cost allocation activities across various business units and be responsible for ensuring compliance with all GAAP, SEC, and regulatory requirements. You'll resolve and recommend solutions to complex problems via regular contact with senior management and other internal stakeholders. To apply, you will need a Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance, and 10 years' of professional experience in accounting, as well as three years' experience in a management role. See all the requirements now.
Senior Premier Banker, MD, Wells Fargo Bank, Annapolis
Wells Fargo is seeking a Senior Branch Premier Banker (SAFE) to proactively acquire new affluent consumer and small business customers, and deepen existing relationships, through outreach and pre-planned appointments. You will review and analyze moderately complex customer concerns, escalate banking related issues or business risks that require an in-depth evaluation and advise customers on various aspects of recommended and available financial options and services. To be considered for this job, you'll need financial services industry experience in one or a combination of the following: corporate, consumer, mortgage, investments, brokerage, or private banking, as well as four years' of customer service experience, and three years of experience building and maintaining effective relationships with customers and partners. Get the full job description here.
For more opportunities in finance visiting the Financial Planning Job Board today
