Workers in the office feel less connected than those working from home, study finds

CEOs hellbent on getting workers back in the office say that being physically together boosts connectivity. Turns out that’s not the case.

Only one in six people feel strongly connected at work, with on-site employees the least connected of all, according to a study on Tuesday from global consulting firm Accenture. Some 22 per cent of fully remote workers say they feel “not connected,” while the share for those in the office is nearly double.

The report bucks some of the central logic executives like Ken Griffin, the boss of US hedge fund Citadel, cite to encourage their employees to return to the office. While they say that boosts creativity and innovation, commuting is still expensive and can be fraught with challenges, especially for working parents struggling to find reliable and affordable child care.

“One might think a quick fix is simply to bring everyone back to work on-site and human connection will happen,” the report said. “It’s not that simple.”

With the tightest labour market in America in decades, many people who have successfully worked remotely for over two years are pushing back against a wholesale return to the office. Workers at companies like Apple have rebelled, arguing they’re just as productive and much happier at home.

‘One might think a quick fix is simply to bring everyone back to work on-site and human connection will happen. It’s not that simple.’

Accenture

Part of the reason so many workers, especially those who are in the office full-time, are so disconnected is because they feel ignored by senior management, said Ellyn Shook, Accenture’s chief leadership and human resources officer.

“People want choice,” Shook said. “I really believe that dialling up listening and acting on what you hear can really address that.”

Some employers are rethinking their return-to-office plans altogether after two chaotic years of the virus’s twists and turns and a broad reckoning of work culture. Credit Suisse Chief Executive Officer Thomas Gottstein doesn’t think banks will ever return to working full-time from the office, and Airbnb said last month that its employees would be permanently able to work from anywhere.