According to a new report from the Pew Research Foundation, more (American) workers prefer to work from home and will continue to do so if given the choice. Among the report’s highlights:
- Most (64%) of those who are now working from home at least some of the time but rarely or never did before the pandemic say it’s easier now for them to balance work with their personal life
- Many (44%) say working from home has made it easier for them to get their work done and meet deadlines
- Most (72%) say working from home hasn’t affected their ability to advance in their job
- Most (60%) say they feel less connected to their co-workers now (sidenote: having broad social connections is a top predictor of lifespan)
The Harris Poll also conducted a similar survey within weeks of the Pew poll, and found that “women and people of color are generally happier working from home and are likelier than their white male colleagues to want to continue teleworking.”
Sociologists fear that hybrid workplaces and return-to-work mandates could become two-tiered, undoing gains in diversity, equity and inclusion, with leadership and white male employees interacting at the office, while teleworking women and people of color are left behind.
The last two years have been hard on everyone, and we would do well to remember that people need a professional and psychologically safe working environment, which is the equivalent of a long, strong hug.
