Microsoft Nigeria has said that managers in work places hold the key to a thriving work culture in the country, noting that for most working professionals across the world, the past two years have been characterised by surprises at every turn.
The software manufacturing giant points out however that, for many, one of the most unexpected developments has been the decision by management to make a full-time return to the office.
According to Ola Williams, Country Manager for Microsoft Nigeria, each year, Microsoft’s Work Trend Index provides a data-driven analysis of key changes within the working world.
“Combining insights from studies of thousands of people, trillions of productivity signals in Microsoft 365 and labour trends on LinkedIn, the Index has become a benchmark for organisations looking to better understand their employees in this era of uncertainty,” he said.
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He added that greater insight into what workers were thinking was exactly what is needed, saying that findings from the Index showed Nigerian companies might be missing an opportunity where their employees were concerned.
He said that it didn’t take long after lockdown began easing for businesses across the country to return to the office which meant that many Nigerian professionals were missing out on the benefits of a more flexible work environment.
“Many of their global counterparts who have had the opportunity to experience working from home over the past couple of years are showing a clear preference for hybrid work. What’s more, there is an added danger of a potential disconnect between business leaders and employees. This was a key trend highlighted in the 2022 Work Trend Index. In fact, there’s a growing consensus among managers that leaders have lost touch with staff,” he observed.
Williams noted that, though the number of Nigerian executives who are prioritising culture as part of their business strategy has increased since Covid-19, the overall number of business leaders who say culture is a top business consideration is still less than half.
It’s easy, he said, to see how this current dynamic has come about – particularly around the issue of returning to the office.
He noted that leaders have spent the past two years under crushing pressure, shepherding their people and organisations through uncertainty amid unprecedented economic challenges.
“And while there’s no question technology helped preserve productivity during the pandemic, the Work Trend Index shows fears about lost gains have factored into the pullback to in-person work. This is especially the case in a country like Nigeria where a lack of steady power supply poses significant challenges to remote work,” he said.
Williams, however, noted that globally employees feel they have benefitted hugely from remote work, particularly when it comes to prioritising their health and well-being. In Nigeria, this is translating into growing expectations around flexible work – especially among skilled employees. So much so that it has prompted a steady increase in remote work vacancies since 2020.
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