More and more companies are asking employees to return to the office, but many of these workers are ignoring the request, revealed a new survey.
According to the survey carried out by The Conference Board, 54% of companies are mandating or strongly encouraging workers to be on-site. However, nearly 80% are still working either fully remote or hybrid schedules. In fact, workers’ dissatisfaction with return-to-office mandates may lead more workers to jump ship. Indeed, nearly a third of those required to come back to the workplace said their intent to stay with their organisation had decreased.
The survey also revealed the pros and cons of fully remote versus fully on-site work. Most strikingly, the results suggest a relationship between companies with fully-remote employees and layoffs. A third (33%) of remote employees report their companies have implemented layoffs, compared to only 13% of fully on-site workers.
The latest workforce survey from The Conference Board of approximately 1,300 US employees (predominantly office workers), weighed in on their work arrangements, return-to-the-office policies, productivity, engagement levels and more. Here are a few key findings.
FULLY ON SITE OR REMOTE? THE BATTLE RAGES ON
Nearly 80% are working either fully remote or hybrid (partially remote) schedules. Additionally:
- Only 15% of survey respondents are on site five days per week.
- 28% are fully remote.
- 50% work some variation of a hybrid schedule (remote some of the time).
More than half say working on site is either strongly encouraged or mandated by their organisations:
- Mandated: 29%
- Strongly encouraged: 25%
WORKER RETENTION
Mandating that employees work on site may hurt worker retention, noted the survey.
- In fact, 28% of those whose organisations mandated they work on-site say their intent to stay with the company decreased in the past six months.
LAYOFFS/REDUNDANCIES
Are layoffs more common among remote employees?
- The survey showed that 33% of fully remote employees say their organisations have implemented layoffs in the past six months, compared to 25% of hybrid workers and only 13% of those fully on site.
PRODUCTIVITY AT WORK
Fully-remote workers also said they are more productive. The survey showed that:
- Around 35% of fully remote workers say their productivity is higher than six months ago, compared to 20% of those fully on site and 22% of hybrid workers.
- Additionally, 19% of fully on-site workers report decreased productivity, compared to 16% of hybrid and 8% of fully-remote workers.
TEAM BUILDING
Hybrid and fully remote workers are concerned about limited connection with their colleagues.
- The survey noted that 37% of hybrid workers and 45% of fully-remote workers say they are concerned about limited connection with their colleagues; the top response for each.
- 35% of fully-remote workers say they have no concerns.
- Blurred work-life boundaries are also a concern for fully-remote (31%) and hybrid workers (30%).
Less than half of organisations offer in-person team building and celebratory events.
- Only 47% of organisations now offer in-person team building and celebratory events.
“In a world that can often seem like its gone mad, we need to reimagine the workplace as an oasis for workers,” said Rebecca Ray, Executive Vice President, Human Capital, The Conference Board. “Businesses should not only be thoughtful about why they’re asking people to come back to the office but make it a place where people can come to do their best work, can learn and grow, and can have a meaningful impact.”
ON-SITE EMPLOYEE WORRIES
Half of those working fully on site have no concerns about working in a physical workplace. The survey showed that:
- 52% say they have no concerns.
- 28% are worried about the increased time and cost to commute.
- 21% are worried about increased interruptions or distractions.
GENDER-SPECIFIC CONCERNS
Men are much less concerned about working fully on site, according to the study. The findings showed that:
- Significantly more men working fully on site say they have no concerns about working in the physical workplace (60%) than women (38%).
- Women are more concerned about distractions in the office (35% versus 14%), the time and cost of commuting (38% versus 22%), and constant expectations of being on or available (28% versus 7%).
GENERATIONAL WORKPLACE CONCERNS
Millennials working fully on site are more concerned about the commute, work-life integration, and the expectation to be available than other generations. The findings revealed that:
- 38% of Millennials working fully on site are concerned about the time and cost of commuting, compared to 27% of Gen Xers and 24% of Baby Boomers.
- 35% of Millennials working fully on site are concerned about work-life integration, compared to 20% of Gen Xers and 14% of Baby Boomers.
- 31% of Millennials working fully on site are concerned about the constant expectation to be available, compared to 14% of Gen Xers and 12% of Baby Boomers.
“Workers are looking for opportunities to connect with their colleagues,” said Robin Erickson, Vice President, Human Capital at The Conference Board. “Offering chances to get together and celebrate may provide some with enough of a reason to go into the office. But keep in mind that being together in person is not the only way to recognise accomplishments and celebrate as a team. Leaders should be intentional about building culture and comradery in a remote setting as well.”
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