Unispace, the employment consulting company, released the results of Returning for Good, a report on Global Workplace Perspectives, in which it surveyed 9,500 employees and 6,650 employers from 17 countries around the world.
It found that 72% of companies that have issued return-to-office mandates globally now report higher-than-expected level of employee burnout, while almost a third (29%) of them they are, in general, having a hard time hiring.
According to the report, employers around the world report losing key employees to mandates, with hiring also affected by mandatory returns: “Companies are failing to recognize the factors behind worker reluctance to return to the workplace” and likewise, they are failing to communicate the opportunities and value that the physical workplace provides.
The study, an in-depth examination of current workforce habits and motivations, found that employees are less reluctant to return to the office (51%) than they were in 2021 (64%). However, with a current reluctance of one in two employees, much remains to be done to attract the workforce.
An overwhelming majority of employers (84%) also indicated that career prospects would be limited for those who work exclusively from home.
The study also revealed that employers have not recognized the difficulties employees have with their current workplace setup. The majority (58%) of workers indicated that they had difficulty carrying out their basic work in the office due to distractions. For their part, 83% of employers say they believe that the office is set up to make it possible for their employees to be productive.
Employers also underestimate the main reasons for disliking the workplace. Employees place great importance on productivity and personal space – citing losing the privacy they can access at home (31%), the ability to be more effective in a quiet environment away from the office as top reasons for dislike (27%), and the feeling of being more productive at home (23%). By comparison, employers suggested that the biggest barrier to getting employees back to the workplace was commuting.
“As we adapt to today’s rapidly changing work environment, employees’ work habits continue to evolve. Those employers who spend time getting realistic insights into what their employees need and value most in their office are setting themselves up for more success by leveraging returns to the workplace, and the power and purpose the workplace can empower to reinforce brand and culture, employee loyalty and attract talent,” said Steve Quick, Unispace Global Managing Director.
For more details of the report, go here.
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