Managers with grand plans to get their staff back in the office should get ready to be disappointed.
The biggest reason? The office politics balance of power has – at least for now – shifted. And that shift has been in favour of the workers, not the bosses.
Here’s what’s happening: many knowledge workers have now spent plenty of time working remotely and have proved (to themselves at least) that they can be as effective at home as they are in the office.
What’s more, that shift to remote working has improved the work-life balance for many (but not all) by giving them a bit more flexibility. This has not gone unnoticed.
On top of that, cutting out all that travel is good for both their bank balances and the environment. And as the cost of living squeeze continues, all of this will be at the front of workers’ minds when managers ask them to be back in the office full time.
No surprise then, that call for workers to return to the office are causing anxiety amongst employees struggling with work-life balance and rising costs of living, as we reported last week.
Many workers even think that if the boss wants them back in the office full time, then they should be paid more.
May15, 2022
By Steve Ranger
