After a year of remote work, a lot of people aren’t ready to return to the office.
The pandemic has forever changed how and where we work. According to research conducted by the PEW Research Center, 71% of people who didn’t work remotely in the past found themselves working from home for the majority of 2020. While hitting a few roadblocks along the way, working from home has proven to be relatively easy and profitable for the majority of offices.
With the vaccine in circulation, the return to the office is one of the most discussed topics for a variety of people. While a lot of workers are happy about this, especially parents who cherish an office space for getting their work done, a subset of people don’t think that returning to the office is necessary. 2020 proved that remote work is possible and effective and that it allows people to spend more time with their families than before.
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A survey conducted by Harvard Business School found that 81% participants who had worked from home during the past year preferred a hybrid model or to continue to work from home.
“As we’re preparing to get back to business as usual, it seems professionals don’t want ‘business as usual,'” said Patrick Mullane, Harvard Business School online executive director. “They want flexibility from their employers to allow them to maintain the new work/home balance and productivity they have come to enjoy.”
Despite the difficulty of adapting to a work from home schedule and the fact that there’s many distractions around, the majority of people prefer a hybrid model, something that would allow them to work on the office some days and work from home on others.
One thing is sure: many changes in the work force are coming.
“The great resignation is coming, “Anthony Klotz, associate professor of management at Texas A&M University, told Bloomberg. He explained that, due to last year’s uncertainty, a lot of people stayed in their jobs despite being unhappy or wanting to do something different with their careers. He said there’s a lot of uncertainty coming for both companies and employees.
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In the article “How to Quit Your Job in the Great Post-Pandemic Resignation Boom,” Bloomberg states that “Companies are figuring out how to maintain their cultures and employees, so many are offering multiple options: Do you want to come back full time? Work remotely? In-office three days a week? Four days? One day? It will be unclear whether these options will be permanent, making it difficult for employees to decide whether to stay or go.”
In the coming months, a lot of workers will find themselves weighing their options. Big changes are coming and employees will have some leverage with their companies, allowing them some breathing room and perhaps an adoption of a hybrid model or the chance to work from home. The way in which companies adapt will determine the happiness of their employees.
