The Great Debate: Work from Home or Everyone Back to the Office

I was walking down the street in London last week when I came across an office visible through the window. I couldn’t help but peer in, and here’s what I saw.

I saw a bunch of people with headsets on, sitting at long desks typing on their computers. It didn’t appear that anyone was talking to one another.

I walked away thinking, “Oh, this is why people are being called back to the office. So they can sit next to one another and block each other out.”

The Great Debate

No matter which side of the debate table you are on, we can all agree that there is no one-size-fits-all work solution for every company.

There may be situations when the need to have everyone in the office is real. An example of this may be a company that is just starting up. Roles haven’t been clearly defined yet, and employees need to come together to brainstorm at a moment’s notice. Or you work in retail or the hospitality industry, where most positions are customer-facing.

But what’s the deal with companies requiring people to return to the office just because they say so?

A CEO was recently quoted in the Boston Business Journal saying that when he advertised for a job that required employees to be on-site two to three days a week, he received zero applications. He used the same posting again, and this time around, he said the position was remote. As a result, he received 30 applications.

This CEO has realized that his mindset must change if he is to succeed in securing the talent needed to grow his business—something to consider if you are having difficulty filling jobs that require people to be on site.

So, let’s examine the pros and cons of requiring everyone to be in the office versus allowing employees to work remotely.

You know exactly what your workers are doing and when they’re doing it.?This idea sounds good in theory, but is this reality? Even before the pandemic, workers were spending company time taking care of personal business. When employees were required to work from home, they became accustomed to weaving in personal errands between work assignments. This trend isn’t about to end anytime soon because people are back in their cubicles.

Workers can more easily collaborate.?When you’re in an office, it’s easier to pull your team together for a quick meeting. Doing so can be a blessing and a curse, as there are already way too many meetings going on. The average employee participates in at least?eight meetings per week , which prevents them from completing their work. Still think it’s a good idea to have more impromptu meetings?

Socialization.?It’s believed that bringing people back to the office keeps them engaged and connected with their team and the wider workforce. If this were true, how do you explain that in 2019 (before the pandemic), over?60 percent of employees were disengaged ?

Productivity.?When it comes to workforce productivity, there seems to be a misnomer about how those who work from home are much less productive than those in the office. According to a report by?Owl Labs , several studies over the past few months show productivity while working remotely from home is better than working in an office setting. On average, those who work from home spend 10 minutes less a day being unproductive, work one more day a week, and are?47%?more?productive.

Your assignment:?Before drawing a line in the sand and requiring all workers to return to the office, list the reasons why you believe this is the right move for?your?company. Seek input from your employees to ensure your decision will not be a deal-breaker for the talent you wish to retain.?

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