The PROS and CONS of Remote & RTO - Part 1

The Raging Debate

There's no surprise that remote, return to office (RTO), and hybrid work is a massive topic at the turn of 2024. Roughly 90% off companies are saying they'll enforce some kind of return to office mandate, according to a study reported by CNBC. While on the other hand, the majority of the workforce (Gen Z and Millennials), are pushing back.

The Dream Turned Reality

Remote work seems like the dream but is there a dark side to remote work? Is the hybrid model truly the future? COVID forced the global workforce into learning and adjusting to a remote, stay-at-home workstyle. At that time, what was every office workers' dream, became a reality… a necessity – to take the office home. Say goodbye to commuting, getting ready, packing a lunch, pretending to care about your coworkers weekend, and say hello to working from the comfort of your own home, indefinitely. While remote work was a dream come true, statistics show remote work had a negative impacts that weren’t obvious. According to a 2023 study by TravelPerk, more than 50% of American workers experienced burnout in 2023. If you can imagine or relate, 70% of remote employees experienced major burnout from digital communication tools. That is a huge statistic. It turns out Microsoft Teams isn't the answer to all our problems!

Is Remote Burnout a Thing? 

Some of the statistics are actually very concerning. For example, 48% of employees working from home say they lack emotional support. Today, Burnout Syndrome accounts for 8% of all occupational illness cases and 83% of employees say burnout can negatively impact their personal relationships. Furthermore, one of the scariest numbers: moving from full-time office to full-time remote work increases loneliness by 67%. So, what are some common cause of burnout due to WFH?

The three most common causes of burnout due to working from home include:

1. An inability to disconnect from work, and a lack of boundaries between  work and personal life
2. Lacking workplace inspiration
3. Missing a supportive environment

Perhaps the most crucial question in all of this is: do the negative effects of remote work outweigh a 5 day return to office mandate? The answer, unfortunately, is NO. Although the effects of fully remote work are immediately apparent, the majority of workers still prefer a remote work setting.

So What Does This All Mean?

So with 90% of companies wanting RTO mandates to go into full affect, and the majority of workers pushing for remote work; what's the actual solution? Hybrid work models are shown to be the most effective. Turns out humans are social creatures, and the in-person and collaborative tendency translates very well to the workplace. The physical workplace also helps with healthy work-life balance through human interaction, relationship building and a sense of belonging. Leaving work at the workplace is very helpful for mental health, and for promoting healthy relationships, especially with family. Hybrid work also gives you the flexibility of a remote work position. "Experts" say the 5 day commute days are over, which is likely better for both employees and employers; hybrid work is the future.

At LetsTango, we're curious to know your opinion on whether you prefer return to office, remote, or hybrid work models. Please like and comment below!