Experts report employee reluctance to get back to the office following COVID-19 remote working

As the country gradually adjusts to the easing of lockdown restrictions and the suspension of many COVID-19 emergency measures, companies and corporates across South Africa are now rapidly demanding a return to work approach for all employees.

However, labour experts are cautioning employers against this.

Africa’s largest executive search firm, Africa at Jack Hammer Global, says enforcing return-to-work ultimatums could result in companies losing good employees, developing a toxic workplace and failing to attract quality talent down the line.

Managing Director, Advaita Naidoo says, “We haven’t been able to take a statistical measure as yet, but we have seen a lot in the media with listed, very large companies, requesting a return and stating the conditions in which their employees must return and this is quite topical because it affects a large number of people and then anecdotally, we can say as an executive recruitment company, we are getting daily calls and enquiries from business leaders to find out what’s happening in the rest of the market, to find out what their options are. There is a little bit of dissatisfaction with this mandate to return to office.”

The latest COVID-19 Stats in South Africa: