Hybrid work option key to talent acquisition

Hybrid and flexible work options may be key for equipment companies to attract and retain talent. 

In a post-pandemic world, a professional environment that includes options for remote or in-office work is not only preferred by employees — it’s a critical driver in their decision to stay at their current employer, according to the 2023 Workplace Trend Report by global asset and equipment financier DLL.  

Today, national unemployment remains at a five-decade low of 3.5%, with more than 10 million job openings in the labor market, according to the U.S. Labor Department. And as workers consider prospective opportunities, hybrid environments — which became the norm after global office closures during the COVID-19 pandemic — have become employees’ preference, according to research firm Gartner.  

In fact, 54% of respondents to a 2021 Gartner survey agreed that the ability to work flexibly would determine whether they stayed at their current organizations. That trend has continued into 2022, at a time when 70% of employees are actively seeking or open to attraction to new job opportunities.  

Diving deeper, 24% of respondents said they preferred working remotely while only 17% said they preferred to work onsite. By comparison, 60% said they preferred a hybrid work environment that gives them the option to choose.  

“There has been a shift from organizations encouraging a healthy work-life balance to workers and employees expecting that their needs as a person come first. Their families, their health and their general wellbeing are being prioritized,” according to the DLL report.  

Aligning technologies 

Still, organizations will need to build in-person infrastructure that is in “direct alignment” with remote employees’ tools, according to DLL. Adding multiple technologies — including USB-based sound and display, closed captioning and a content delivery network — can help businesses facilitate a hybrid transition. 

Eindhoven, Netherlands-based DLL is a global vendor finance company that provides asset-based financing solutions to the agriculture, food, health care, construction and transportation industries. The company had a managed portfolio of $15.4 billion in 2021, according to Monitor 100.