Remote working has graced most of our lives since the pandemic and has often been seen as more of a blessing than a curse, with the new working practise giving employees a better work/life balance.
However, since the latest unprecedented ‘situation’ has fallen upon our nation – the financial/energy crisis – more people are eager to head into the office as opposed to opting to work from home – even for just a few days a week – to save on heating and electricity bills. This however isn’t the only reason that people are flocking into the office. Here are the top 5 reasons why more and more employees are swapping the couch for the commute this winter:
The Rising Cost of Living
As aforementioned, the energy crisis is driving more people back to the office rather than remote working. Nearly one in four UK employees plan to work more from the office this winter to cut down on home energy costs, according to an Infogrid survey of more than 4,000 UK workers.
Those choosing to work from home have already seen energy costs doubling and projections scarily show they could triple over the winter months. For households with a single resident (or where everyone can be out of the home for most of the day) being able to offset energy costs from the house to the office may start to look attractive.
Building Better Workplace Relationships
Statistics from the latest Leesman Review, produced by world famous workplace and employee research company Leesman, shows that 61.2% of those surveyed stated that they felt that coming back to the office built a sense of community. Whereas 70.8% of people surveyed said that coming to the office helped them to interact with their colleagues better and allowed them to share more knowledge and ideas. These statistics in our opinion are unsurprising, as communicating and interacting with colleagues by Zoom and Teams via remote working just isn’t quite the same or as enjoyable as getting together in person.
Improve Well-being
While some people enjoy the confines of their home and can quite easily switch from ‘work mode’ to ‘home mode’, some people find it hard to switch off and end up working longer and later hours than they would whilst in the office.
Also, silence and company of just the cat or dog may be the perfect remote working setting for those with hectic personal lives, but some people may prefer a buzzier work environment.
Many employees need those stimulating, face-to-face conversations with co-workers, as opposed to communicating virtually in order to improve their ‘workplace’ well-being.
Professional Growth
Coming into the office and being around your colleagues encourages healthy competition and the desire for ‘wanting to do better’. Employees can also learn from other members of the team and peers within their company. It is important for people to interact with those outside of their team and with other colleagues on different rungs of the corporate ladder. This can encourage employees to strive for professional growth and help them feel part of the wider team and business.
After Work Drinks
We are nearing the festive season and coming into work is the perfect opportunity to meet up with friends, colleagues and clients and go for a glass of fizz or two after hours. We’ve all had a tough few years, and are experiencing hardships, so sometimes it’s good to let your hair down and socialise with the people you spend 8 hours a day with.
Talk to the Team
If more people are set to stop remote working and return to your workplace this winter and as a result you are looking to transform your workspace, get in touch! One of our smart workplace experts will be able to help you create a welcoming environment for your employees that enhances their experience of coming into the office.