McKinsey study shows deep employee-employer disconnect over the return to in-person work

The report’s findings

• More than three-quarters of 504 surveyed C-Suite executives report they expect the typical “core” employee to be back in the office soon for three or more days a week. 
• Though they found the work-from-home experiment surprisingly effective, they also believe that remote work culture hurts organizational culture and the sense of belongingness, and are therefore keen to establish normalcy quickly.
• In the view of surveyed executives, the new normal will be more flexible but not drastically different from the workplace of the past. That is, for employers, the office was and will be the primary center for work, and they want their employees back in the office sooner. 

• Most government and corporate employees in the survey preferred a more flexible work model where employees sometimes work on-premises and sometimes work remotely.
• Nearly three-quarters of the 5,043 employees surveyed want to work from home for two or more days every week; over half want at least three days of remote work weekly.
• Many employees expressed a disconnect between their personal lives and work obligations, prompting some to reevaluate their relationships with their employers.

• Instead of directing the rah-rah return to the office, leaders should focus on deeper listening to know where employees are today.
• Organizations must come up with hybrid solutions for working arrangements to retain talent in the post-pandemic milieu. 
• Employers must acknowledge they don’t have all the answers and will try to create a model that works for them and employees. 
• Leaders should work transparently with employees to design how their companies work. 

Takeaway

Authors

Kanika Sinha

Kanika is an enthusiastic content writer who craves to push the boundaries and explore uncharted territories. With her exceptional writing skills and in-depth knowledge of business-to-business dynamics, she creates compelling narratives that help businesses achieve tangible ROI. When not hunched over the keyboard, you can find her sweating it out in the gym, or indulging in a marathon of adorable movies with her young son.