Hybrid model should “bring the best of both worlds” to employees

Deloitte US CEO Joe Ucuzoglu told CNBC on Tuesday that the future of work after the pandemic is not a zero-sum game.

“There is a tension between the desire of some leaders to bring back a preponderance of in-person work and the desire of many working people to preserve the level of flexibility,” Ucuzoglu said on “Squawk Box”. “It’s not all or nothing, however, and what we’ve talked a lot about about a hybrid model is bringing the best models of both worlds to life.”

Ucuzoglu said that while it is sometimes vital to be collocated with colleagues and clients, people can still be productive while working remotely.

“There are plenty of opportunities to keep a fair amount of that flexibility and combine the best of both in the future, and you’re going to see some agility here, ”said Ucuzoglu, who heads the US organization of global society. professional services. re in the first rounds. This is a fundamental overhaul of the way society works and integrates it into life. “

Ucuzoglu has highlighted talent as a key focus for employers at this time, especially as supply chain and hiring challenges loom over the U.S. economy during its recovery from Covid. One in four workers plan to quit their jobs and seek opportunities with a new employer after the pandemic, according to Prudential Financials’ Pulse of the American Worker survey in March.

“There is a reinforcement that talent has increased in terms of being one or two of a small handful of the most important C-suite strategic goals right now,” he said. “There has been a reorganization of the prioritization of all digital skills and as a result, companies must go to great lengths to attract and retain the workforce needed to take advantage of a strong economic outlook. “

The pandemic has also prompted companies to prioritize listening to employees and understanding what is important to them in terms of job flexibility, returning to the office and coronavirus vaccine requirements, a declared Ucuzoglu.

Ucuzoglu said policies such as vaccination warrants are always a “mixed bag.” Employers are concerned about the negative impact that vaccine requirements may have on some workers refusing to be vaccinated, he said, but they also recognize that many employees want the mandates in order to feel safe. security when they return to the office.

Many companies have postponed their fall work plans in person due to the increase in Covid cases fueled by the more contagious delta variant. The rise in the number of cases nationwide has also led major companies, including Google, Walmart and United Airlines, to implement vaccination mandates for some or all of their employees.

Ucuzoglu said Deloitte US recently announced to its employees that its 800-room corporate training center, Deloitte University, will reopen at full capacity in September for fully vaccinated employees. Deloitte US employed more than 110,000 people as of fiscal 2020 and has more than 80 locations nationwide.

Ucuzoglu said that a “very large proportion” of the company’s employees aspire to return to the office and be with their colleagues. However, he said, plans to return to the office will be a gradual process, with employees acclimating at a pace they are comfortable with.

“There is a realization with the booming delta variant that Covid will likely be with us for a while. It’s not going to go away cleanly on a specific date,” he said, meaning that the companies are responsible for trying to create “the environment in which the vast majority of your employees will feel confident to get back together and co-locate.”