- with Finance and Tax Executives
Flexible working was one of the few bonuses for retail workers that emerged out of the pandemic. However, fast-forward 5 years and it seems that retailers are reminiscing on the earlier years when working 5 days a week in the office was simply a given. Over the last year, "the number of retailers issuing return to office orders has picked up pace." Companies once praised for flexibility are now scaling back.
Take John Lewis, for example, which is one of the latest retailers to require its commercial teams to be in the office "at least three days a week." Primark has set an even higher bar, asking staff to be on-site "four days a week," while Boots, THG, and Morrisons have gone further still, mandating full "five-day office weeks" for their head office employees. For employees who are already paid less than staff at bigger corporate tech, finance and consultancy firms, this is simply a "body blow to their already bruised morale". Workers argue they are facing constant rising living costs and shrinking benefits, and with less and less flexibility it means that money spent on travel or childcare is on the rise.
This new trend comes into direct conflict with Gen Z employees. Gen Z do not see flexibility as a perk, but instead a baseline for what is expected. As such, a top-down approach from retailers' risks undermining both future growth and a cohesive workplace culture. This disconnect poses a challenge for employers and employees alike when there is a fundamental misalignment in the understanding of core values . If company culture is the first casualty during difficult times, it raises serious doubts about whether that culture was ever truly valued and Gen Z will undoubtedly be the first to call this out.
So, the waning of morale combined with the fact that the retail sector is grappling with a £23.3bn skills shortage, does not bode too well. "Eroding trust" by rescinding flexible working could prove costly for retailers in terms of morale and talent retention. It is clear that employee expectations have changed, especially amongst younger generations, and the new task for retailers is working out how to retain key refreshing talent, whilst ensuring high rates of productivity and an enjoyable office culture.
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