Workers don’t see the point in traveling to the office and they’re making their feelings known per a new report.
The analysis came from Executive Network via a global survey of 1,300 people where only only 28% of knowledge workers said their company is making it worthwhile to commute. And nearly half of them also said company isn’t making the trek any more attractive.
“Companies are offering more perks and increasing compensation to entice workers back to the office. But they need to make coming to the office more purposeful and ‘commute worthy,’” Jeanne Meister, an executive vice president at Executive Networks, said in a statement as reported by HRDive. “This will require employers to be clear on why and how working in the office can optimize collaboration and innovation,” she said according to the outlet. “Employers also need to provide equal opportunity for advancement and development, no matter where the work gets done.”
As disinterested as some workers may be in returning back to the office, a majority of leaders (71% of senior HR leaders and 62% of senior business leaders) said there may be a “proximity bias” against remote or hybrid workers making it harder for them to secure advancement opportunities.
Aside from daily commutes being expensive and time consuming, workers have acknowledged how stressful they can be as well.
“Stress and burnout have long been documented as a reason employees leave their jobs, but the lack of opportunity to learn new things and grow in their careers is also a primary driver of employees wanting to make a change,” Rita Vanhauwenhuyse, vice president of customer experience and insights in Europe for Executive Networks, said in a statement shared with HR Dive.
The happy medium seems to be in offering employees flexible working conditions with the most attractive option being a four-day or 32-hour workweek without a reduction in pay (69%).
“From adding creative benefits and being more intentional about designing a workplace that attracts employees to better equipping workers and managers for flexible working, organizations can gain a competitive advantage in this new world of work,” the report authors wrote in a statement.