Do You Like In-Office Work or Remote?

The landscape of remote work in the US has significantly shifted after COVID. According to various studies, the proportion of fully remote workers in 2024 is projected to be around 10%, a notable decrease from the 22% recorded at the pandemic’s peak.

This article explores employees’ reactions to being called back to the office, whether on a hybrid or full-time basis. Could there be an unspoken negative effect from mandating workers return? What was your experience, and how did the mandate make you feel?

I spoke to people who had to return to the office full-time or to a hybrid schedule. Some of the effects of the mandate are:

1. Working fewer hours
2. Lower motivation
3. Reduced company loyalty
4. Unhappiness
5. A desire to search for new remote employment
6. Lowered productivity
7. Increased fuel cost
8. Less time with family due to the commute
9. Investment in office attire where casual was the norm for remote work

A few of the adverse effects on the family were also reported:

1. Reduced time at home with family members/children
2. Reduced time with pets
3. Individuals who relocated to a new town that provided a lower cost of living and a safer life are no longer in the same town as their employer
4. Less family time on the weekend due to chores, once done on break, being forced back to Saturday.
5. Unused office space – families relocated to allow for remote work
6. Unused office furniture families invested in
7. Change in daycare arrangements – after-school care was often no longer needed
8. Families who had elderly parents move in may no longer be able to care for them

As 90% of American businesses called their employees back to the office in some form during 2023, did they care about the adverse effects on their people? What were their primary motivations? A few I can think of are:

1. A reported increase in engagement levels due to people being together (hybrid is highest)
2. The use of empty office space
3. An easier way to manage employees for most people

Did the 90% of employers who mandated their people back to the office speak to their employees and ask their opinions/thoughts/feelings? The individuals I talked with received a notice, with no option – either to return to the office or seek employment elsewhere.

How did your employer handle the mandate, and what are your thoughts on the subject? I want to start a dialogue and hear what people think about this subject. Please comment below.