Ocado Group, the tech firm behind the online grocer Ocado.com has created a new policy that allows staff to work abroad remotely for one month per year as part of an effort to rethink workplace policies in wake of the pandemic.
Ocado’s decision is just the latest sign that companies are revisiting their approach after many executives were forced into quarantine during the outbreak.
Claire Ainscough, the firm’s chief people officer, told the Times newspaper that its employees were still being encouraged to return to the office.
Kwasi Kwarteng, Secretary of State for Business told the BBC, he is urging his team to come in more often, despite the fact that flexible working “was here to stay”.
Government employees have been asked to make a “gradual return” to Whitehall, but parliamentarian Kwarteng is calling for them to work from the office two to three days a week.
Under the Ocado Group scheme, staff who worked from home during the pandemic will be able to do their jobs remotely including outside of Britain, subject to certain restrictions.
The scheme will not apply to the online supermarket, Ocado Retail which is jointly owned by Ocado Group and Marks & Spencer.
Ms. Ainscough said this answered a “top question” from staff, particularly those who had families abroad and did not want to use up their leave by spending time with them.
Ocado Group has always been a company that is in tune with its employees’ needs. As such, the group made it clear that it wanted to offer “a balance and choice” in response to requests from staff.
Apparently, government departments have seen just a few people go back to the office despite recommendations that they should make a “gradual return” over the summer.
Asked about home working, Mr. Kwarteng told the BBC: “I think flexible working is something that is here to stay, but I’ve always said that I think it’s up to employers and employees to come to their own arrangements, depending on the needs of the company and the needs of the business”.
“I’ll be encouraging civil servants to come in, but of course again there’ll be a degree of flexibility and that’s what we’re working to achieve”.
“I don’t think it makes sense to have a government diktat telling people exactly how many hours they’re going to spend in the office and exactly how many hours they’re going to spend at home”.
A growing trend in many workplaces is something called “hybrid working.” This phrase refers to when employees spend part or all of their time at home rather than coming into an office every day full-time – but while there’s no set definition about how much time should be spent away from the workplace, most policies recommend up to 30%.
The number of companies that have been supportive to the movement towards hybrid working has increased in recent years. Many people find this type of arrangement more practical for their work-life balance, and some employers are even beginning to see that it can also increase productivity!
Supermarket giant Asda is making it easier for its employees at its head offices to work. Employees are able to select the best location in which they can do their job, whether that means being at a store or depot or even working remotely at home.
But not everyone is on board with the idea of a hybrid approach, Investment bank Goldman Sachs has said it wants people to come back into the office once restrictions have ended.
