Can hybrid work save the world?

Further warnings on the escalating climate crisis have come from the COP27 summit held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, in november. MARK DIXON, founder and CEO of global workspace network provider IWG, explains why hybrid working is paramount to the planet’s future

As recently as September, scientists were highlighting the imminent risk that, even at the current 1˚C level of global warming, at least five environmental “tipping points” are likely to be passed – from the collapse of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets to a massive die-off of tropical coral reefs.

And, according to Johan Rockstrom, co-chair of the Earth Commission and director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, it looks set to get far worse. “The world is heading towards 2 to 3°C of global warming,” he says. “To maintain liveable conditions on Earth, protect people from rising extremes, and enable a stable society, we must do everything possible to prevent crossing tipping points. Every tenth of a degree counts.”

In my view, however, there is at least a glimmer of hope. As world leaders gather to discuss how to grapple with the biggest issue facing the planet, there are growing indications that the fast-changing working habits of millions of people across the world mean the days could be numbered for one of the greatest drivers of global warming: the daily commute.

Record fall in CO₂ emissions

This is a subject that’s very close to my heart. Since 2002, I’ve been talking about the great benefits of what’s now widely called “hybrid working”: where employees are given the flexibility to get their work done when and where they’re happiest and most productive.

For most people, that means at home or in a flexible workspace close to where they live. What it certainly doesn’t mean is being forced to travel for hours every day in a polluting vehicle to a city-centre office where nobody wants (or needs) to be. The uptake of hybrid working across the world was obviously accelerated by the impact of the pandemic – and nobody who saw and smelt the clarity of the air during lockdown can doubt the cleansing effect of what effectively amounted to a ban on all unnecessary driving.

This is backed up by the data. According to Future Earth’s Global Carbon Project, the 2020 lockdowns caused CO₂ emissions to fall by an estimated 2.4 billion tonnes. This was a record drop, with the largest share of the global decrease coming from reduced transport emissions – both on the ground and in the air.

An important step forward

In my view, giving up the commute is something that many of us can point to as a positive step of the kind that Rockstrom is asking for. But to fully normalise this shift in behaviour, I believe many more companies need to offer their employees the opportunity to work partly at home, partly from a nearby workspace, and maybe just occasionally at headquarters.

As those figures suggest, it’s almost impossible to over-emphasise how dramatically this approach drives reductions in fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions. It simultaneously empowers companies to reduce their carbon footprint by downsizing their office properties into advanced, environmentally efficient shared workspaces. 

These are some of the reasons why I’m fast coming to see the offer of flexible working as an essential aspect of every employer’s approach to sustainability – and I’m talking about more than just the carbon footprint. Adopting the hybrid model enables companies to make progress under six of the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs).

I’ve already touched on SDG 7 (Clean Energy) and 13 (Climate Action). Perhaps it is equally significant for SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being. Fewer stressful commutes and a generally healthier lifestyle are key by-products of working at home or in a nearby office reachable on foot or by bike. Gender Equality (SDG 5) is also highly relevant, as hybrid working offers the potential for a more equitable sharing of family responsibilities. 

By enabling workers to choose when and where they’re likely to be at their most effective, the hybrid model also has a role to play in boosting productivity and hence Economic Growth (SDG 8). And its positive impact on Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11) is one of the most important gains it offers, as workers spend more time and money close to where they actually live, boosting local economies and participating more fully in local activities and initiatives.

Positive self-interest

Besides the hybrid model’s very real sustainability advantages, there are clear positive self-interest elements for companies adopting it. High among these is its sheer cost-efficiency, making it redundant for companies to tie themselves to inflexible and expensive long-term city-centre property contracts. 

Nearly as powerful is the positive impact on employee attitudes to be gained from a strong sustainability record. Recent research on young people from Gen Z (aged between about 10 and 25) shows how important it is to this key demographic to have an employer that shares their values. Specifically, they see a company’s environmental responsibility track record as the second most important factor in deciding where to work. This is cited by 48% of the sample, just behind race, gender, and LGBT equality (55%). More than half (55%) believe it’s important that their employer takes its environmental responsibilities seriously, while 48% say they wouldn’t work with a business that didn’t have strong goals or environment and social impact credentials.

These findings highlight how sustainability issues coincide with positive self-interest. Basically, if you want your pick of the best up-and-coming employees, get your sustainability house in order. I find it amazing that even now, only 51% of Gen Z employees think that their employers take their environmental responsibilities seriously. With 50% additionally saying they’d leave if their employers backtracked on their environmental promises, this is a vital business issue. 

I’m not saying that hybrid working is the complete answer to the challenges facing the planet – far from it. But it is a powerful engine of improvement, delivering strong financial, productivity and employee-retention benefits, as well as essential environmental and other SDG-related gains.