Will we see a shift from ‘Days Off’ to ‘Days On?

The battle for top talent has caused many employers to revisit work arrangements. Here, we take a look at how work mindsets are shifting to accommodate arrangements such as flex time, remote work locations, paid time off, alternative work schedules, and other options By Richard R. Smith With people working in different modalities, many human capital leaders are striving to revise the policies, practices, and rules associated with work arrangements. Recently, I travelled to Northern Europe and one of my connecting flights was cancelled. As a result, I had the opportunity to spend several quality hours in the airport lounge where I overheard this conversation:

Staff (Voice from the speaker phone): “Boss, I am not feeling well, so I will not be at work today.”

Boss (in the lounge): “But you work from home, so you are at work already.”

Staff: “Yes, but I don’t feel well.”

Boss: “Are you going to the hospital? Is this a serious condition?”

Staff: “No, I think I just need to rest at home.”

Boss: “ You can rest while working! The bottom line is that you are already at work and since you can have this conversation with me, then you are capable of working. Have a good day at work! Goodbye.”

This exchange exemplifies a slew of changing expectations for work arrangements. New questions are emerging such as: Does someone working remotely still have access to the use of sick days? That in turn gives rise to other questions such as: What is the difference between going away on holiday and working from a different location? – or what does it mean to be ‘At work?’

Traditional employment models often include parameters for performing work activities that often specify the work arrangements. For example, a newly hired engineer work-