As some organizations ramp up return-to-office (RTO) plans, it’s essential to recognize that this transition is not merely about logistics—it's fundamentally about people. Recent statistics indicate a significant shift, with a steady rise of employees commuting to work outside their homes since 2020. However, this shift brings with it a wave of anxiety and uncertainty that should not be overlooked.
A recent survey by Modern Health reveals that 70% of employees are experiencing heightened anxiety about returning to the office. While some anticipate benefits of RTO—such as improved collaboration and a stronger workplace culture—these advantages can only be realized if we address the mental health concerns that accompany this transition. Ignoring the mental health dimension in RTO plans is not just a missed opportunity; it’s a strategic error and a recipe for potential disaster and turnover. Experts emphasize that aligning RTO strategies with the needs of employees—specifically providing intentional design, flexibility, and meaningful support—is crucial for a successful transition.
I know that some readers will see “anxiety” and think it’s the Millennials and Gen Z that are tantrum-ing about RTO. No. It’s older workers and it’s real. At any given time, there’s a ‘sandwich generation’ of workers in their 40’s and 50’s that’s both caring for children at home and caring for ageing parents that now require more help. That’s real stress and anxiety about real issues. Having an employer that adds a new layer of requirements after half a decade of very helpful flexibility and work from home arrangements is a real stressor.
Organizations that measure RTO by obsessing about inputs like badge swipes and occupancy rates are not actually setting up a healthy collaborative environment. They’re ticking a box that’s not really about helping their employees do their best work.
Successful organizations will prioritize mental health as a core component of their RTO strategies. This means acknowledging the anxiety employees feel and actively working to mitigate it through comprehensive support systems. Successful RTO plans will seek out and promote flexible managers and leaders that have genuine relationships with their reports – understanding their motivations and challenges and allowing them to have some flexibility to meet their challenges. By doing so, companies can create an environment where employees feel valued, valuable, and ready to engage in a healthy supporting workplace that produces a quality work product they actually care about.
The return to the office is not just a logistical challenge; it’s the single largest professional mental health challenge some organizations are facing post-COVID. And unfortunately, many of those organizations are going into it not even realizing or acknowledging that dimension of the challenge.
This was written using some source material / influence from hcamag.com.