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Commentary ·careers


EMPLOYEES ARE SPENDING THE EQUIVALENT OF A MONTH’S GROCERY BILL ON THE RETURN TO
THE OFFICE–AND GROWING MORE RESENTFUL THAN EVER, NEW SURVEY FINDS

BYChristine Carter, Erin Eatough, Kristi Leimgruber and Khoa Le Nguyen
February 1, 2024 at 1:48 AM HST

The cost of commuting and the loss of flexibility are taking a toll on employee
morale.
Michael Nagle—Bloomberg/Getty Images

Despite the benefits of remote work for employees, many organizations are
abandoning it in favor of returning to the office full-time–or part-time in a
hybrid model. A recent survey from BetterUp shows that the number of primarily
remote roles has been cut in half–and one out of four organizations cite
improved connection and culture as the business rationale behind mandated office
returns.



However, our research found that returning to an office often is a major
disruption to one’s routine, foundational work, and overall life experience. We
surveyed 1,400 full-time U.S. employees who were mandated to return to in-office
work and found that they had higher burnout, stress, and turnover intentions.
They also had lower trust in their organization, engagement, and productivity
levels. Our results indicate that if the return-to-office transition is not
handled with a high level of humanity, sensitivity, and empathy, workplace
culture suffers, and the workforce’s sense of belonging plummets.

We also found that RTO results in pressure on employees’ flexibility, time, and
even bank accounts. If you are struggling to adjust to a mandated return to the
office, know that you are not alone. 


THE MAIN CHALLENGES OF RTO

There are benefits that come from working in person. For example, research
BetterUp has done in partnership with the University of California, Riverside
found increased life satisfaction and social connectedness as benefits of
in-person interaction over technology-mediated interaction. 

While it seems intuitive that people form better working relationships in
person, poorly communicated and implemented return-to-office mandates breed
resentment toward employers. Resentful employees are less likely to bring their
authentic selves to the workplace and less likely to invest in those around
them.



The most challenging aspect of returning to the office is the commute. This
isn’t surprising because commutes of only 30 minutes are linked to higher stress
and anger, while 45 minutes or more is linked to poorer overall well-being,
daily mood, and health. 

What is surprising is the second most challenging aspect of returning to work:
the loss of flexibility to switch between work and home tasks for things like
accepting a delivery or switching over the laundry between meetings. In a
time-starved world, even the smallest time savings can be very important as
people attempt to “do it all.” 



While some leaders might read this and think “Ah-ha! I knew people were
multi-tasking when they should be working!”, the truth is, that remote work is
actually a net gain for the organization. Research has found that people in
remote work give more total hours to the company.  


WITH DISRUPTION COMES OPPORTUNITY

Evidence from BetterUp suggests agency in choice of work arrangement enables
people to find a way of work that can optimize performance and well-being.

We also saw that an organization’s decision to require in-office work represents
a financial burden for employees. The average employee returning to the office
spends $561 per month on transportation, additional child and pet care, and
domestic assistance. That is comparable to the average two-person household’s
grocery bill in the U.S. for the entire month.

So what can you do if your employer mandates your return-to-office? 

First, focus on maximizing the benefits of this life change, including the
opportunity to deepen your relationships and collaborate more with your
coworkers. Take advantage of the hybrid work model to connect with the people
who are physically there as much as possible (rather than only logging on to
virtual meetings).



Second, consider if returning to the office represents an opportunity for better
work-life balance. If you are back in the office full-time, can you embrace
leaving work at work? Can you create desirable new habits or routines like going
to the gym on your way in each day? Shifting back into in-person work is a major
systemic disruption, but with that disruption comes the opportunity to design
healthier habits.

Finally, ask for what you need to thrive while returning to the office. Do you
need a late start so you can continue to drop your kids off at school? Do you
need better commuter benefits to offset financial costs? Do you need a coach to
support you as you make the transition back to the office? Thoughtfully raise
these needs with your manager.

Return-to-office mandates can affect employees– and not necessarily in the ways
that leaders are hoping. If you are in a situation where you are being asked to
dramatically shift your way of working, know that it’s normal to find this
transition difficult, to have a mix of emotions about it, and most importantly,
that it’s never wrong to ask for what you need.

Christine Carter, Ph.D., is a sociologist, author, speaker, and coach dedicated
to redesigning the way we work. She is currently BetterUp’s VP of coaching,
excellence, and innovation.

Erin Eatough, Ph.D., is an author, speaker, and co-founder of the evidence-based
HR consultancy Fractional Insights, helping organizations navigate leading-edge
people challenges in the post-industrial era.

Kristi Leimgruber, Ph.D., is a comparative psychologist who currently serves as
a behavioral scientist at BetterUp Labs. Her research on the psychology and
evolution of cooperation has been published in peer-reviewed journals around the
world.

Khoa Le Nguyen, Ph.D., is a behavioral scientist at BetterUp Labs, studying
well-being and human potential in and outside work.


MORE MUST-READ COMMENTARY PUBLISHED BY FORTUNE:

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   Slowbalization’
 * The anti-DEI movement has gone from fringe to mainstream. Here’s what that
   means for corporate America

The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of
their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs
of Fortune.

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