More than two-thirds (69 per cent) of small- and medium-sized employers in the U.S. that offer hybrid (74 per cent) or fully remote working (54 per cent) say these arrangements have impeded employee training and development, according to a new survey by the Harris Poll on behalf of consultancy RSM International.
The survey, which polled more than 400 senior leaders, found among employers offering remote or hybrid working, 66 per cent said they’ve experienced challenges with onboarding new employees. A third (33 per cent) of respondents said employees worked remotely during the the fourth quarter of 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic, a year-over-year decrease of three per cent.
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Two-thirds (64 per cent) of employers said remote working had a negative impact on employees’ mental health, up from 55 per cent a year ago, while nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) said workers felt isolated, up from 68 per cent a year ago.
However, two-fifths (39 per cent) of respondents said remote and hybrid working had a positive effect on their company’s culture.
“There has been a challenge in being able to develop and train people in a remote environment,” said Marni Rozen, director of RSM’s human capital consulting practice, in a press release. “For new hires who are in their first job, they really want community — they need that camaraderie.”
Read: U.S. employees divided on whether workplace culture has improved over last 2 years: survey