Premier Foods has announced plans to introduce a hybrid working model, which will allow its 800-strong office staff to decide where they want to work. The move will, however, not apply to its 4,000+ factory workers.
The choice will be offered to staff at its head office in St Albans, as well as its locations in Manchester, Lutterworth, Southampton, and High Wycombe. The move expands on an earlier trial of around 100 office staff.
Starting this month, Premier Foods said that staff can decide “wherever they work best”, adding that its offices will not be “somewhere colleagues have to be for the sake of showing their face”. The company added that managers will receive bespoke training to support the transition.
David Wilkinson, group HR director, said: “This isn’t about getting rid of the office altogether, it’s about shifting our mindset on what it means to be flexible. Work is a verb, not a place, and whether it’s for a team meeting or just personal preference, our office remains open for anyone who wants to use it.”
NAM Implications:
- A no-brainer mix of reduced office space required/less expensive locations, meeting team needs for better work/life balance, reduced costs of commute, and childcare..
- An enlightened approach that has to be a pointer for others.
- The only issue is forecasting ratio of home-working to office-based staff.
- …and 65/35 makes for a good starting point for exploring implications.
