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UAE jobs: How overtime work, strict office attendance rules could affect employees

Here are some points to consider before your best manager decides to take a bow and exit the stage

Question: Work-from-home was touted as the future during the pandemic, but companies are increasingly mandating employees' return to office. Are flexible work patterns something employers should continue to consider or not?

Answer: In the theatre of modern employment, where the stage is set for a post-pandemic work culture, we're not just actors reading lines; we're individuals crafting a narrative. The spotlight shines on the hybrid model, a protagonist promising a tale of highly engaged staff, motivated not just to act but to deliver a standing-ovation-worthy performance in achieving the organisation's objectives.

The benefits of this model are not mere footnotes. When employees feel the trust to perform their roles with autonomy, they're not only engaged but also motivated. They're the ones staying late not out of obligation, but because their passion is ignited, their creativity is unleashed, and their dedication to the company's success story is unwavering.

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However, there’s an underlying risk in the subplot — a high turnover of the very best team members. When the script demands constant visibility, when the narrative is more about being seen at a desk than the quality of the work produced, dissatisfaction brews. The culture of 'presentism' — the mistaken belief that a physical presence at the office is the epitome of productivity — can cast a long shadow, creating a fearful ensemble worried more about the clock than the craft.

But hybrid-working isn't about just turning up the house lights for show; it’s about the intentional choreography of days in the office.

Imagine this: every visit is a meticulously directed scene — maximising those serendipitous 'water cooler moments', fostering face-to-face engagement, and sparking collective brainstorming for those complex decisions to be made. There’s a method to the meetings, a rhythm to the collaborations. It's about making each office day count with purpose and presence. Simply mandating attendance without this thoughtful orchestration is like a theatre without a director—aimless and uninspiring. And that’s precisely how talents drift away, questioning the script, wondering why they need to make an entrance at all.

A Gartner survey told us that in such environments, the most talented are often the first to take their bows and exit the stage. They seek roles where they are not just another face in the crowd but valued cast members. They crave a narrative where the work they produce, the ideas they contribute, and the innovations they bring to life are the true measures of their performance.

Thus, as we write the next act, we must choose our direction wisely. Do we follow a script that may lead to a high turnover, a lack of job satisfaction, and a pervasive fear culture under the unforgiving spotlight of surveillance? Or do we choose a path of trust, autonomy, and empowerment — one that values the contributions of each individual, regardless of where the work is done? Let's opt for the latter, crafting a future where flexible arrangements, open communication, and a strong sense of community lead to not just a happy ending, but a thrilling new beginning for all. In this story, every employee has a role to play, a purpose to fulfil, and a share in the grand success of the collective endeavour. Let's make it a blockbuster hit.

Roujin Ghamsari is an accomplished HR practitioner and fellow of the CIPD, a professional body for HR and people development. Named among the 'Most Influential HR Practitioners 2023', she excels at collaborating with C-Suite leadership to craft and implement robust people plans, enabling organisations to deliver their strategic objectives.

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