How To Overcome Return to Office Resistance in 2022
What do the numbers say about return to office resistance?
Many leaders and managers believe that it’s time to return to the office in 2022. But it seems most workers disagree. In a 2022 study by Ivanti, 87% of workers indicated they do not want to return to the office full-time, and 45% of those workers don’t want to return to the office at all. Return-to-office resistance is real. And, if you’re not careful, resistance could easily change to resignation.
Rather than jumping ahead with forcing employees to start in-person work again, it’s essential to understand why this return to office resistance exists and do our best as a company or leader to overcome these objections. So, why won’t people want to go back to work?
Why are employees hesitant to return to the office?
- Health & Safety
At the start of the pandemic, social distancing and masking became commonplace. And not everyone is ready to give up these safety measures or risk their health in an in-office setting. And it isn’t just about Covid-19. Instances of the flu in the US dropped 98% when these public health measures were in place. No one likes being sick, and in-person work (without accompanying safety measures) increases the chances of catching any number of illnesses.
- Work-Life Balance Flexibility
Before the pandemic, companies tried their best to produce work/life balance for employees. But balance doesn’t look the same for everyone, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
