Over half of workers feel that going to the office as mandated by company policies is a "waste of time".
The Appspace 2024 Workplace Experience Trends & Insights Report found that, despite almost 60 percent of workers receiving some form of return-to-office (RTO) mandate in 2023, 54 percent of respondents felt coming into the office wasn't worthwhile. Many respondents noted their office space wasn't conducive to productive working and not enough colleagues were present to bolster collaboration.
The Appspace 2024 Workplace Experience Trends Report explores how employees define their workplace experience today, four years after the pandemic catalysed widespread remote and hybrid working models. It also intends to address shifts in employee views on workplace models and assesses organisations' use of technology to enhance productivity and collaboration, regardless of employees' locations.
A notable trend arising from the RTO movement is the growing preference for a "purposeful consumption of the office". This concept reflects employees' desire for meaningful reasons to be in the office beyond mandates and superficial incentives.
Appspace CEO, Tony DiBenedetto, commented:
While there’s no consensus on return-to-office mandates, employees and managers alike share a common desire for enhanced and simple workplace connections, whether collaboration takes place in person, remotely, or hybrid. Organizations can seize this moment to deliver the best workplace experience possible with consumer-like technology that mirrors the ease employees expect and have grown accustomed to in their personal lives."
As technology impacts every aspect of employees' personal lives, Appspace has argued there's a growing expectation for workplace tools to keep pace, and the standard for "good" workplace technology has significantly risen.
This shift may explain why Appspace respondents have become increasingly dissatisfied with their workplace tech. Appsapce reported that the proportion of employees expressing complete satisfaction with their company's tools and technologies has dwindled in the past three years: 39 percent in 2021, 33 percent in 2022, and 29 percent in 2023.
According to the Appspace research, perhaps surprisingly, Gen Z shows the highest inclination towards the RTO movement, with 77 percent in favour, while millennials display the least favorability, at 59 percent. Overall, 73 percent of respondents across all generations agree that "my employer could do more to enhance the in-office experience."
The Most Common Pros And Cons Of In-Office Working
Detractors opposing office attendance prioritise remote flexibility and dislike long commutes. They also cite financial burdens around commuting and buying meals. Other concerns included workspace productivity, colleague availability, health and safety, and insufficient technology.
