The Allure Of Working In The Office Still Exists
Few things developed a worse stigma during the pandemic than office work.
If you read many headlines, the idea of people returning to work in the same location full-time - even after being vaccinated - is considered antiquated and overly restrictive.?
A Prudential survey shows that more than two-thirds of U.S. workers prefer a hybrid model of some days in the office and other days working virtually. Companies like Coinbase, Deloitte, Twitter, Square, and Shopify are embracing virtual work for their employees on an ongoing basis.
Call me a throwback, but I love the office. At recruitAbility, we allow our staff to work from home two days a week. The days that we’re in the office are my favorite. While people tend to focus on the downside of the office (i.e. commuting time, geographical restrictions), I believe the benefits are being lost in the conversation.
To me, these are the advantages of working with your colleagues in an office setting.
Team Chemistry
It’s possible to build rapport with people you do not see face-to-face. It’s just more challenging.?
In a remote setting, it’s common for the majority of your conversations with coworkers to revolve around tasks, action items, planning, strategy, and projects. Discussion outside of these topics is less frequent.?
In an office setting, it’s easier to spark conversations about non-work matters, which usually leads to stronger personal relationships. These bonds are what form the foundations of strong teams.?
Reducing Digital Burnout
Zoom calls are mind-numbing after a while. This is a big reason why 69% of employees experience burnout symptoms from working at home.
What’s also exhausting is trying to decode the meaning behind emails, Slack messages, and texts. Distributed teams rely on these communication channels, which are open to (mis)interpretation. Tone is difficult to gauge in writing no matter how many emojis you use.
It’s easy to take for granted how much body language and other non-verbal cues contribute to our understanding. This is the benefit of face-to-face communication.?
Beyond that, when you can hash out something in minutes by speaking to a colleague in person vs. a long email back-and-forth or phone call, it takes less effort and reduces fatigue.?
Employee Development
People stay longer at companies where they can develop and grow. These are the primary ways for companies to engage their employees.
For most companies, developing employees who work virtually is far more difficult than it is in-person. This is why employee turnover is often highest among people who work remotely.
Also, there’s a concept in psychology called goal contagion, which claims that individuals may automatically adopt and pursue a goal that is implied by another person’s behavior. In terms of fostering a company culture, this is a powerful influence that is easier to develop in an office setting.
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of reasons why remote work makes sense, but my main point is let’s not discard all of the advantages of working together in an office. There is a lot of upside, and the companies that recognize and embrace these benefits are going to reap the rewards.
For more commentary on work trends, employee engagement, hiring, and recruiting, visit the recruitAbility blog.?