Office Employees Want to Come Back, but with Changes
As the pandemic stretches on, 69%, of employees are experiencing burnout symptoms while working from home, according to a recent survey by global online employment platform Monster. It found that employees are finding the Work from Home experience less than ideal, with younger employees feeling less productive and less satisfied with the home experience.
According to Gensler, only one in 10 U.S. employees worked from home prior to the pandemic. Now after many have had to work from home for months, only 12% want to continue to do it full-time after the pandemic subsides. Most want to go back to the office full-time or want a balance of office and remote working.
“People feel more connected to a company and its culture when they are in an office specifically designed for its mission and culture,” said Compass Properties Vice President Todd Greenwald. “They miss the structure, the regular routine, the collaboration and social interaction. We hear from so many tenants that say working from their offices dramatically improves productivity, morale and client relationships.”
Those who want to return most to the office are younger workers. Some 70 percent of Generation Z and 69 percent of millennials surveyed by Cushman & Wakefield for a summer analysis called “Future of Workplace” reported challenges in working from home. The biggest challenge is finding adequate space, as older workers are more likely to have dedicated workspace at home. One in three young workers also said it is harder to maintain a work-life balance working from home.
During the pandemic, company culture is being put to the test. Telus International recently polled more than 1,000 working Americans and found half feel less connected to their company culture while they’ve been working from home. The survey found that workers also miss small talk and interacting with colleagues; collaborating in person with a team and the separation between work and home (50%) were other common responses.
While many employees are longing for a return to the office, they expect to return to a different workplace with more space, less desk sharing and increased support for mobile and virtual work. They also want stricter policies against coming in sick, increased office cleanings, and more distance between workstations.
According to the TELUS International survey, nearly 75% of Americans surveyed believe a safe and clean workplace will be most important to company culture post-COVID-19, followed by work-from-home flexibility. 73% of employees said they would be comfortable performing temperature checks in the office, according to a Pollfish online survey conducted on behalf of Hibob, while 63% say they would be comfortable with other protective measures, such as wearing a face mask, gloves, and maintaining six feet of distance from others.
“Employers and employees are understandably nervous about getting back to the office,” Greenwald said. “That’s why Compass Properties has taken a comprehensive and hygienic approach that includes increased frequency of cleaning in high-density and high touch areas with deep cleaning and disinfection plans in place if a building employee or tenant test positive for COVID-19.”
“Companies should have a comprehensive return to work plan that is unique and customized for their operations,” he continued. “The plan should be based in large part on the guidelines and recommendations issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Occupational Safety and Health Administration, with a goal to minimize exposure risks for employees and mitigate potential liability for the employer.´