There has been an explosion of flexible working and especially home working during the COVID-19 pandemic, across the world due to government-led lockdown measures. This has significantly shaped the attitudes of workers and managers around flexible working – with many reporting positive experiences of working from home, with increased performance outcomes. This has led to a shift in preferences towards flexible working. The majority of workers report that they would like to work from home and use other flexible working arrangements, Most managers also report that there will be a serious consideration towards a hybrid office. This talk, led by Dr Heejung Chung, Reader of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Kent, will provide detailed data on these trends and explore some key questions managers need to consider when moving towards a post-pandemic office. These include:

• How should you manage flexible workers so as to ensure that we do not experience negative unintended consequences such as overwork?
• How to use flexible working to enhance diversity and performance enhancing goals etc.?
• Who should get access to flexible working for how many days?

There will be opportunities to network with other event attendees before and after the talk. This event is organised on behalf of the Kent HR Network, sponsored by HRGO.