Date Time Flexibility set to be key battleground issue as employers push for office return Experts say 2021 will be a battle for flexibility as the gap between employee and employer expectations begins to widen. While 2020 was the year of flexible working, business leaders have their sights set on bringing employees back into the office, according to the annual Robert Walters Salary Survey. The fresh jobs data highlights a widening void, warning that flexibility will be the key battleground issue between employers and their staff this year. While employees have been emboldened by the flexibility gains of 2020, 60% of employers surveyed said productivity concerns are the main driver for wanting to return to traditional ways of working.