Only about 1 in 10 companies expect all employees to return to their pre-pandemic work arrangements, according to a new survey.
Challenger said his conversations with human resources executives indicated a reluctance to mandate a return to the office while the virus is still circulating and parts of the country face surges. In some cases, local or state lockdowns, school and day care closings or restrictions on building capacities also limit employers' options.
A new survey from the consulting firm PwC came to a similar conclusion. "Executives and employees [are] converging around a post-pandemic future with a lot more flexibility, yet few are prepared to completely abandon the office space," PwC said. The majority of companies, it said, are developing hybrid offerings in which people work from home some days and in their offices on other days.
"There is a perception that if you're not in-person, you won't have the soft opportunities for influence, like the conversation over lunch with an executive. It's definitely a concern, especially for more senior-level employees," Chamberlain said. Challenger predicted that the concern will make employers eager to facilitate their staffers' return to the office, as least part time.