After two years of remote work being the “status quo”, some companies are relocating their employees from working remotely to return to the office, and many workers are flat out refusing.
Many executives in the C-suite are facing resistance from even their top performers. Which brings up the question: how important is it for teams to be in the office? The answer may be more nuanced than you think.
CONS
Communication: Not everyone loves relying on email, and tools like Teams are Slack aren’t always the most efficient communication methods. That doesn’t mean that tools like Zoom, can’t bridge those gaps. However, employees are going to find more synergy being in the same room as their colleagues.
Motivation: Isolation can lead to a lack of motivation. As there is no active supervision or team environment, some employees may struggle to meet their targets.
Lack of supervision: No good leader is going to recommend micromanaging. No good employee is going to want to be micromanaged. That said, working remotely does require a certain level of proactiveness and an ability to problem-solve. Nobody is going to be there to help you with your tech issues. If you need assistance organizing something, it is likely that you are going to have to rely on your own ability to get the job done.
PROS
Higher productivity: There is a lot of debate on the productivity levels of remote employees, and many want to argue that employees are not meeting the same marks as they were in the office. However, with the right setup, remote employees are often more productive than their in-office counterparts. Usually, this is due to less distraction, the ability to avoid the majority of office politics and the additional flexibility.
Work-life balance: The time saved on the commute and the ability to stay at home and work simultaneously creates more work-life balance for employees. By getting some extra time daily to manage their personal life, remote workers are typically more satisfied with their jobs.
Saves money: Employees don’t have to spend money on an office wardrobe or worry about the high gas prices. Obviously, the money saved on the employee’s end is going to result in higher employee satisfaction.
Remote work is not a “one-size fits all” thing. Some companies NEED employees in-office and some do not. Organizations should establish and communicate why it is beneficial to them and their teams if they are choosing to create an in-office mandate. If employers are unable to provide sound reasoning, it’s going to be of no surprise that there is going to be continuous pushback.