What Employees Want In Order To Return To The Office

The SF Business Times  Oct. 2, 203 reported on a recent survey of 2,000 full0time employees by Owl Labs, The Hybrid Work Survey, which found “…69% of employees believe their company is requiring in-office work due simply to traditional work expectations. That disconnect is one of many factors that have limited enthusiasm for returning to the office. Even with recent mandates, the percentage of employees in the office in large cities isn’t significantly different than it was at the beginning of the year — still hovering just north of 50% — according to data from Kastle Systems. Owl Labs found employees are heavily prioritizing flexibility in both hours and work location — noting that employees who have hybrid or remote flexibility were less likely to have changed jobs in 2023 than full-time office workers. That desire for flexibility puts many workers at odds with companies that are ditching hybrid work entirely, but there is some good news for those businesses: about 94% of workers said they would go back with some concessions that address common in-office pain points.”  What are possible employers offering to get their workers back in the office? Flexible dress codes. According to an Owl Lab survey, office workers who come in every day may  spend $1,000/month on commuting, parking food and other costs they don’t face when working from home. Subsidized food and beverages, and more privacy are also on the list.