As the global post-pandemic recovery begins to ramp up, many workers have begun to return to the office. The Human Workplace Index recently conducted a survey—The Office – to return or not to return, to better understand employees’ sentiments about their impending return. More than half of the respondents indicated that they have been mandated to return on a full-time basis showing that employer flexibility might be on the wane.
Companies that are requiring their employees to go back full time are doing so to strengthen relationships, keep a closer eye on employees as well as foster collaboration. Whilst seven in ten agreed with their employer’s decision, this demand is being strongly rebuked by close to a third of employees who stated that they are looking for a new job because their employer wants them in the office part- or full-time.
Employees also made clear the things they are not looking forward to about returning to the office with commuting coming out on top. Furthermore, more than half of the workers were concerned with the extra expenses associated with on-site work including fuel and parking costs, the rising cost of living as well as childcare and elderly care expenses. Another stumbling block for four in ten respondents was that they would have to move out of their current home in order to make it back into the office.
Read below for a full list of what workers are most looking forward to and what they are not.
What workers are looking forward to when returning to the office:
- Face time with executives
- Meeting new people
- Seeing co-workers
- Separating work and personal life
What they are not looking forward to:
- Communal bathrooms
- Commuting
- Wearing real clothes
- Germs
- Socialising in the office
- Harsh lighting
- Fumes from chemicals
- Smells (perfume, foods etc.)
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
