CEOs see hybrid work flexibility as the key to a better employee experience. Nevertheless, almost half stumble in the implementation.

NTT’s annual Global Employee Experience Trends report shows that 90 percent of companies believe enabling hybrid and remote work has a positive impact on their bottom line.

Yet only less than half (48%) of companies strongly agree that employees have access to the technology they need to work well both at home and in the office.

Many organizations are now implementing more structured approaches to work. For example, the report shows that around 56 percent of hybrid employees spend half of the workweek in the office.

Higher IT costs

The best-performing companies that increased their IT spending and invested in technology around hybrid working were 56 percent more likely to report improved business growth than the lowest-performing companies. 89 percent were more likely than all other companies to significantly increase their employee satisfaction.

“The gap between what employees need and what companies offer them is still too big. Too often we see hybrid work strategies that focus on one type of work style, even though employees want the flexibility to work in a way that suits them,” said Amit Dhingra, executive vice president of network services at NTT.

Rise of AI

In addition to hybrid work, the employee experience is also being impacted by the rise of AI. AI interfaces will be ubiquitous in companies in the coming years. Still, 87 percent of companies agree that human support remains a critical element in customer retention.

Sheila McGee-Smith, President and Principal Analyst, McGee-Smith Analytics. “AI adoption is increasing, driven by the real business outcomes delivered by revolutionary AI technologies. “Companies are looking for guidance on how to harness the full power of AI to successfully dominate their markets while promoting employee happiness and well-being.”