After nearly a year-and-a-half of remote work for many U.S.-based employees, is it time to return to work in the office?
The answer is an overwhelming “no,” according to a recent survey by Harvard Business School of about 1,500 remote workers. A full 81 percent of those surveyed who worked from home during the pandemic noted that they do not want to go back to the physical office or that they prefer a hybrid option that involves a mixture of remote and in-person work.
According to the survey of remote workers, more than one-quarter would like to remain remote indefinitely while another 60 percent wish to go into the office a couple days a week and work from home the rest of the time with a flexible hybrid schedule. Respondents noted that they appreciate the more flexible working schedules they have enjoyed and would like to continue a similar work environment going forward.
Only 18 percent of the workers surveyed indicated that they want to go back to the office full time following the pandemic – although parents who have kids living at home and married people are more interested in returning to the office than their single counterparts.
Finally, more than half of survey respondents noted that they want to be fully vaccinated before returning to work in the office while nearly three-quarters said they would like to wait until everyone in the office is fully vaccinated. Most also shared that they expect at least six feet of distancing in office spaces as well as mask usage if and when the return to work takes place.