Working from home was a boon during the pandemic, but today opinions about it are shifting. Photo: Getty
Working from home was a boon during the pandemic, but today opinions about it are shifting. Photo: Getty
Working from home was a boon during the pandemic, but today opinions about it are shifting. Photo: Getty
Working from home was a boon during the pandemic, but today opinions about it are shifting. Photo: Getty

Could end be in sight for remote working as study predicts full-time return to offices?


Patrick Ryan
  • English
  • Arabic

The coronavirus pandemic ushered in a remote working revolution as millions of employees around the world left office cubicles to complete daily shifts from home in an effort to limit the spread of the virus.

The policy proved so successful that many businesses have retained a hybrid model, long after global lockdowns and other safety restrictions have ended.

But the clock may be ticking on working from home, according to a new report which indicates a widespread return to the five-day office routine is looming.

A study from financial services company KPMG, which took into account the views of more than 1,300 chief executives from the world's largest businesses, found 64 per cent believed a full return to office-based work by 2026 was on the cards.

A lot of people will vote with their feet if they're forced to come back to the office five days a week
David Mackenzie

The National spoke to companies and experts across the UAE who had divided opinions about whether we were set to see a return to pre-pandemic working habits.

“The wheel should not be turned back completely – where an effective mix of remote and office work is established, a hybrid culture will prevail,” said Oliver Kowalski, managing director at recruiter Hays Middle East.

“The implementation of hybrid working has been largely successful. Absolutely, challenges exist, but the advantages of maintaining hybrid working outweigh the disadvantages of reverting to a fully office-based model.

“In today’s world of work, employee well-being should be at the forefront of workforce strategies – healthy employees are productive employees.”

Hays Middle East offers staff hybrid working, with one to two days a week working from home with the option of flexible hours.

According to research carried out by Hays Middle East in late 2022, 49 per cent of organisations in the Gulf offer some work-from-home options.

The company is gathering information for its next salary guide survey. A representative said a slight trend was emerging towards fully office-based working models.

The Middle Eastern market has a unique take when it came to the merits of working from home versus the office, said Mr Kowalski.

“When it comes to hybrid and remote working, many organisations in the Middle East recognise the benefits and the positive effects it can have on work-life balance,” he said.

“Additionally, there’s an increased focus on sustainability in the region, particularly with the upcoming Cop28 [climate change conference].

“It makes sense to have a certain amount of work-from-home because emissions are automatically saved.”

Oliver Kowalski, managing director at Hays Middle East, said work-life balance is a key part of deciding on whether staff should work remotely. Photo: Hays Middle East
Oliver Kowalski, managing director at Hays Middle East, said work-life balance is a key part of deciding on whether staff should work remotely. Photo: Hays Middle East

Everyone back to the office?

Some companies in the UAE are not wasting anytime in bringing everyone back to the office full-time, believing it maximises efficiency and creates a better working environment.

One such firm is real estate agents Allsopp & Allsopp, who also operate a number of spin-off companies including one in the recruitment sector, giving them a total of more than 500 employees across Dubai.

“All six spin off-companies from the Allsopp & Allsopp group are office based and there is no work from home,” said Kameron Hutchinson director with Allsopp & Allsopp Recruitment and Executive Search.

“We believe this foster a better environment and improves collaboration.”

Another company that has brought all the staff back to the office full-time is UAE company EuroTech ME, which employs 40 in total.

Michael Andersen, founder and chief executive of EuroTech ME, believes a full return to the office has had a positive impact on productivity. Photo: EuroTech ME
Michael Andersen, founder and chief executive of EuroTech ME, believes a full return to the office has had a positive impact on productivity. Photo: EuroTech ME

“We have returned all of our staff to the office full-time, for a while now, as we had quickly witnessed that an increased level of social interactions positively affected collaborative work,” said founder and chief executive Michael Andersen.

“We see a lot of advantages to working in the office full-time such as a thriving team dynamic with an actual positive impact on employees’ motivation and even well-being.”

He said the company does allow for hybrid working but only on a case-by-case basis.

The debate over the value of remote versus in-office work has been given new impetus, with new research revealing lower productivity when working from home. Bloomberg reported in August.

Workers randomly assigned to work from home full-time were 18 per cent less productive than those in the office, according to the study from economists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California.

Also in August, Zoom Video Communications told its employees to report to its offices on a more regular basis.

Staff at the California company who lived within 80km from a Zoom office are required to work from there at least twice a week.

Home comforts

One company that is fully committed to the hybrid model that most adopted during the pandemic is Acorn Strategy, a communications firm that employs 60 people in the UAE, Hungary, Oman, Australia and Indonesia.

“We're committed to providing our entire team, regardless of location, with the ability to choose the mode that's right for them and what makes them most productive,” said Kate Midttun, founder and chief executive.

Kate Midttun, chief executive and founder of Acorn Strategy, strongly believes a hybrid working model is best. Photo: Acorn Strategy
Kate Midttun, chief executive and founder of Acorn Strategy, strongly believes a hybrid working model is best. Photo: Acorn Strategy

“We've witnessed the magic that happens when we blend remote and in-office work – it sparks creativity, bolsters work-life balance, and allows us to tap into global talent.

“It's all about embracing the best of both worlds: harnessing technology for efficiency while nurturing those invaluable in-person connections that fuel innovation.”

She added the company has no plans to return staff to the office permanently.

What the experts say

One of the UAE's leading employment experts said moving staff back to the office probably stemmed from a perception they would work harder there than at home.

A perception that was not necessarily correct, according to David Mackenzie, group managing director with recruiters Mackenzie Jones.

“There's a perception that if chief executives can get everyone back to the office they are going to make their staff work that bit harder which is going to improve share prices,” he said.

“That's a myopic view. When you talk to young talent now about what they value most in the workplace the answer is not a big salary but more flexibility.

“They [companies] want to start controlling their workforce a bit more because over the last couple of years the workforce sort of controlled itself.

“Maybe what some chief executives don't realise is a lot of people will vote with their feet if they're forced to come back to the office five days a week.”

Another expert said there was no right or wrong answer to whether hybrid working was better than working full-time in the office, but firms would do well to embrace new ideas.

“There's no one answer and you can go around in circles on this but the world is changing and hybrid working is where they seem to be changing towards,” said Claire Donnelly, senior consultant at Mike Hoff Consulting.

The bio

Favourite vegetable: Broccoli

Favourite food: Seafood

Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange

Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania

Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.

Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes

Essentials

The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Seattle from Dh6,755 return in economy and Dh24,775 in business class.
The cruise
UnCruise Adventures offers a variety of small-ship cruises in Alaska and around the world. A 14-day Alaska’s Inside Passage and San Juans Cruise from Seattle to Juneau or reverse costs from $4,695 (Dh17,246), including accommodation, food and most activities. Trips in 2019 start in April and run until September. 
 

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

While you're here
The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
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Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi

Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi

Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain

Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni

Rating: 2.5/5

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile

Company name: Dharma

Date started: 2018

Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: TravelTech

Funding stage: Pre-series A 

Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs

UAE tour of the Netherlands

UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures and results:
Monday, UAE won by three wickets
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match

The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

The%20Mother%20
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Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Updated: October 15, 2023, 6:04 AM`