As local companies prepare to reopen offices, workers split over saying goodbye to ‘work-from-home’

BOSTON — Between plummeting COVID-19 numbers and high vaccine availability, many big businesses in the area are finally ready to re-open their doors to employees. But after two years of work-from-home, are employees ready to return?

A recent survey by Boston hiring firm Robert Half found the majority of people want to stay put in the home office. The survey found:

54% are happy to stay fully remote.

57% would like a remote “optional” job.

Younger workers were the only group with less than ½ of those surveyed interested in fully remote jobs: Only 43% of workers ages 18 to 24 fell in that category in the survey.

“We think that’s partly because of the social aspect, the wanting to understand company culture,” said Robert Half senior district president Bill Driscoll. He says while employees with young families may embrace the work-life balance of no commute and a home office, newer employees may not.

“Maybe they’re still living with mom and dad, maybe they’re sharing an apartment with a number of friends. So being in the office has a lot of advantages for people newer to the workforce,” Driscoll said.

So how do employers try to get two groups with strong opinions about where they want to work on the same page?

“Creating opportunities where potentially the hybrid or remote employees would come into the office,” Driscoll suggested. “Could be a celebration, could be a call blitz day could be a collaborative project, and try to build some unity that way.”

At a time when people are willing to change jobs, Driscoll says it’s up to companies to find ways to make the “new office” dynamic work for everyone if they want to retain talent, and that could put more employees in the driver’s seat.

“We’re definitely entering a new phase here, where employee/employer communication around flexible work, hybrid work, all of it is going to be really, really important,” Driscoll concluded.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2022 Cox Media Group