Companies Are Opening Their Doors Again. How Do Employees Feel About Going Back?

The scale and pace of change we've experienced in response of COVID-19 is unprecedented, and yet it continues. Here we are, 18 months after the pandemic turned our lives upside down, figuring out how to go back to a new kind of normal that includes all we've learned working virtually from home. 

While adjusting to a new remote office culture was difficult, many have embraced the flexibility that working from home has offered. 

But as many employers begin to re-evaluate WFH policies in favor of a return to in-person — or at the very least a hybrid model — how are people reacting and adjusting to another upheaval in their lives and professional routines? What can you do to prepare yourself, be productive, and support your team when you return?

With businesses and employees worldwide focused on this topic, we recently surveyed nearly 3,200 active LinkedIn members across the globe in a variety of industries and roles about what a return to the workplace means to them. Here’s what we found. 

Top Concerns About Returning to Work 

Following a pandemic that sent millions home for their own well-being, it might be surprising to learn that the chief concern on the minds of employees is not simply the precautions companies are taking to increase the health and safety of returning to work. 

Since remote work became a necessity — and today’s technologies make it an efficient reality — 51% of overall respondents are more worried about work flexibility and the ability to work from home. That’s especially true for Millennials (61%), compared to 48% of Gen X, and 40% of Baby Boomers.

For many employees, particularly younger ones, it’s not so much about being back in the office, but getting there in the first place: 37% overall said they were primarily concerned about commute times (46% Millennials, 34% Gen X, and 26% Baby Boomers respectively). 

While 31% overall consider COVID-19 safety in the office as their top issue, that number actually decreases among older workers. Despite caution by the World Health Organization that with advanced age comes an increased susceptibility to COVID, only 22% of Baby Boomers and 29% of Gen X rate COVID safety in the office as their main concern, compared to 38% of Millennials. 

Of course, where you work geographically and the relative state of the pandemic in that region at any given time is a major factor on what issues are most pressing. 

North American employees were more likely to never have even left the workplace during COVID-19 (22%), compared to other regions like Brazil where only 9% remained in the office. Still, employees in Brazil are the most likely to need permission to permanently work from home (7% vs. 3% average). In the Asia-Pacific region, employees would prefer to work from home more frequently than their company plans to allow (29% vs. the 22% overall average). 

Communication and the Current State Of Employees

In all of this, clear communication about expectations regarding what the post-COVID work model looks like is key for both employers and employees alike. To be fair, some organizations may be in the final stages of planning or re-evaluating their policies due to the Delta variant or employee preferences. Companies face this challenge in an uncertain environment, needing to take into account implementing flexible enough policy to adapt to rapidly changing conditions. 

But as doors are reopening and offices are beginning to fill back up, 24% of all respondents overall are still unclear about what their company’s WFH policy is or will be. And that can be a recipe for frustration and confusion at a time when employees need to depend on their employers most. 

Learning To Adapt … Again 

So what does a return to work mean to you, and how are the changes in dynamics of your work environment impacting your world? Of course leaving behind the flexibility and comfort of working from home will be a challenge. And the commute could be a rude awakening. But new opportunities and renewed connections with colleagues are on the horizon. LinkedIn Learning has the resources to help you make an easier, more confident transition.

Check out these LinkedIn Learning courses unlocked now through August 31 to get expert tips on how to adapt, adjust, and overcome the uncertainties of going back to the office and join the conversation on LinkedIn with the hashtag #FutureOfWork. 

• Enhancing Productivity in a Hybrid Work Environment
• Navigating New Professional and Social Norms When Offices Reopen
• Supporting Your Team as Offices Reopen

These learning paths also offer some great guidance that can help you navigate the uncharted waters we’re all wading back into:

• Cultivate Balance and Well-Being as Offices Reopen
• Bolster Performance and Productivity as Offices Reopen

Of course, this new remote work landscape has removed many barriers, making it possible for virtually anyone to access opportunities to Build a Flexible Career as well. 

Moving Forward With Cautious Optimism

While everyone is ready to put COVID in our collective rearview mirrors and forge ahead towards better days, its effects are here to stay. For today’s professionals, the desire for flexibility and the ability to work from home has shaped a new view of the workplace, and their feelings about returning to it.