Many people have been working remotely since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. By now, it’s become a way of life. Many people have adjusted to the way working that has been thrust upon them.
As a result, the prominent question now is: What happens when everyone can return back to the office?
Does everyone give up the extra time and flexibility that working from home allows them? Does everyone just stay working from home? Or, does a mix of working from the office and working remotely come into play?
The data from LinkedIn’s recent workforce survey shows that 47% of U.S. professionals believe their companies will allow them to be — at least partially — remote after the pandemic slows.
In certain industries, like tech, those numbers increase to 73%, in finance they’re at 67%, and in the media industry they’re at 59% of employees.
So, are they right?
Ashley Whillans, a professor at Harvard Business School says, “Companies may let employees work from home two or more days per week, with some opting for three days in office, two days remote.”
Similarly, Liz Burow, the former WeWork vice president of workplace strategy says,
“People miss people the most. There’s a credible value to real life in-person contact. Therefore, offices will function in two key ways: As spaces where people gather for leadership, personal development and culture; and as clubhouses where they come together to collaborate and congregate. Either way, we won’t be gathering in them five days each week anymore.”
As we’ve written in the past, the future of work is remote, and the office is going to play a different role. Less so will it be a place to primely get your work done, but rather, it will be a place to connect and focus on other areas of development.