Company bosses argue for a resumption of in-person work because simply put, it enhances collaboration and innovation. But it is claimed that many employees are balking.
They liked the flexibility, autonomy, and feelings of safety that came with working remotely. And they cite many legitimate reasons for not wanting to go back: Covid infection risk, of course, but also long commutes, discretion, work-life balance, and office distractions. Rather than return, some are opting to become part of “The Great Resignation”.
Already, some sources indicate that there is widespread resistance to returning to the office.
According to the ADP Research Institute report published April 2022 – “People at Work 2022: A Global Workforce View” which surveyed more than 32,000 workers in November 2021 from the US, India, the Netherlands and other countries – two thirds of the global workforce (64%) said that they have already, or would consider, looking for a new job if their employer wanted them back in the office full-time.
“Even a few years ago, the thought of working in a hybrid arrangement was – excuse the pun – remote to most people”, Nela Richardson, the chief economist at ADP and co-author of the report, tells CNBC Make It. “But now it’s clear that hybrid work and the desire for flexibility after two years of working from home is not going away – in fact, it’s growing in momentum”.
Resistance to returning to the office full-time is even stronger among younger employees: About 71% of 18-to 24-year-olds said that they would consider looking for another job if their company insisted on them returning to the office full-time, compared to 61% of 35- to 44-year-olds and 56% of 45- to 54-year-olds, the report found.
As Richardson explains, remote work feels more natural, and less intimidating for young employees. They’ve grown up with technology and it’s embedded in their social fabric, their school curriculum, their hobbies.
Instead, managers need to focus on creating an engaging office environment where employees can get valuable mentorship from higher-ups and participate in team bonding activities with their co-workers.
“There’s a new need for companies to evolve because of this tight labor market”, she says. “Employees need to feel like they’re personally benefiting from waking up earlier and commuting to the office – that it’s really worth it, or they’ll leave”.
I don’t think the divide is as uncompromising as it is made out to be. I know that more than a few older workers welcome the flexibility of working from home after years in a cubicle, even as some in their 20s yearn for the camaraderie of the office or the dynamism of an urban setting.
Sure, home-working adopted during the quarantine or lockdown periods have its advantages – but it removes some of the key business drivers that can only be leveraged when people are in the same physical location:
- Productivity – Employees can avoid the many potential distractions at home, focus on their work and get more done in their day.
- Collaboration – Workers who are physically able to see and talk to each other will find it easier to streamline their communications and collectively innovate to develop new ideas.
- Socialization – Bringing them back to the office keeps them engaged and connected with their own team and with your wider workforce. And they lose chances to network.
- Coordination – Office-based work helps teams stay functional, and aligned with the work of others.
The bottom line is that it’s really hard to get cohesion and collegiality without being together on a regular basis.
I don’t know about you – but to me, the office triumphs over home-working. Still, some form of flexibility for home-working would serve all parties well. After all, we must recognize that for better or for worse, the work environment is changing. With or without our consent.
As one senior manager says, “You can’t force anyone to do anything these days. You can only urge”. Food for thought.
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