Almost two-thirds of hybrid workers (61 percent) have felt pressured by a cyclical return to office (RTO) mandate during specific periods of the year.
According to new research by Owl Labs on the state of hybrid work, over the last three years, seasonal RTO mandates have emerged, with employers exerting more pressure on workers to be on-site during fall and winter. This aligns with the back-to-school season, making September the prime month for RTO campaigns, affecting 17 percent of hybrid workers. Another peak time for RTO is the New Year, with 13 percent of hybrid workers experiencing increased pressure in January.
Owl Labs’ survey is predicated on the evolution of hybrid work four years after the pandemic started. It surveyed over 500 full-time knowledge workers in the US after the annual New Year RTO push and highlights that many employers are striving to revert to pre-pandemic policies despite employee resistance.
In addition to striking cyclical return-to-office patterns, the report delves into disparities in policies leading to “shadow management” and tensions around work styles that continue to cause discord among workers and managers. The study also investigates the factors deterring workers from returning to the office, including neurodivergence, disabilities, health conditions, and common pet peeves.
“Our new survey data found that the modern workplace is still full of conflict and tension around work styles – between employers and workers, company leaders and team managers, and peers,” said Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs.
As we pass the fourth anniversary of when the pandemic reached the U.S., the push and pull of annual return-to-office mandate cycles and the challenges of finding balance in the nebulous world of hybrid work still continue. The reality is that offices may never return to how they were pre-pandemic – although many employers haven’t yet given up on trying to turn back the clock, no matter how much discord it can cause among workers.”
Other Striking Findings
Owl Labs has found that strict RTO mandates from executives and HR teams have culminated in “shadow management”. In this trend, team leaders grant more flexibility to their employees to retain productivity. Over two-fifths of employees (41 percent) report an inconsistent application of company policies on work location and hours.
Fifteen percent of workers believe specific departments and teams have more flexibility than others, while seven percent believe specific office locations do. Ten percent of workers believe senior executives enjoy more flexibility than others, while five percent say the favourites of those executives do similarly. Eight Percent of workers believe those with longer tenure at the company enjoy greater flexibility, too.
Owl Labs suggests that hybrid and remote work enhances inclusivity and diversity. Its survey reveals that 33 percent of employees identify with neurodivergent differences, disabilities, or health conditions, with over a fifth of neurodivergent-identifying workers finding in-office work challenging. Common obstacles include physical disabilities or injuries (7 percent), chronic illnesses or pain (7 percent), and neurodivergent differences like ADHD or autism (6 percent).
Owl Labs says that flexibility in work location and schedule enables these individuals to fulfil their duties effectively and safely. It also highlights that remote and hybrid work models have reduced the unemployment rate for people with disabilities, presenting an opportunity to address this disparity and accommodate diverse needs.
Owl Labs’ study underlines another factor behind RTO resistance: widespread workplace annoyances. The survey found that 86 percent of workers have encountered such irritations, with 35 percent of respondents being annoyed by loud talking. This was followed closely by discomfort due to temperature fluctuations, which affected 32 percent of employees, interruptions from chatty colleagues when trying to focus on work (one-third), and encounters with cliquey or rude behaviour (one-quarter of workers).
Owl Labs’ Compelling Hybrid Work Research in 2024
This isn’t Owl Labs’ first compelling study on hybrid work this year.
Previous research found that over two-thirds of managers surveyed allowed team members to work from home more regularly than required by company RTO mandates.
Owl Labs’ survey revealed that 70 percent of UK-based managers have allowed team members to work from home in circumstances deviating from established company policies on RTO. This trend suggests a move towards stealth management, where managers discreetly adopt a more flexible approach to retain top talent amid stricter RTO mandates.
Moreover, approximately 87 percent of UK workers believe an “unofficial” and flexible RTO mandate enhances team morale. This indicates that while workers acknowledge the benefits of returning to the office, they also value the flexibility to choose when and how they work from the office.
