Halloween is fast approaching, and the spooky vibes are in full swing at my house. As I sat down in my gauze covered living room to write this month’s blog, I came across a statistic from the aptly named, Fears & Remote Work Report. This report, which surveyed nearly 4,000 Americans stated that 53% of respondents feared on-site full-time work for the rest of their life MORE than climate change. I literally laughed out loud when I read it. Unless you’re working in a cubicle in the basement of the Amityville Horror house, that seems like a pretty extreme position to take.
Having come across that stat in an HR publication, I was inclined to dig into this Fears & Remote Work Report further. I quickly realized there were multiple statistics that would be worth sharing in a more light-hearted monthly blog. So, without further ado…
- 43% are more scared of having to work on-site full-time than getting a divorce.
- 41% are more scared of having to work on-site full-time than getting into a car accident.
- 41% are more scared of on-site full-time work than natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes, hurricanes)
- 34% fear on-site full-time work more than having $10,000 stolen.
- 24% are more scared of having to work on-site full-time for the rest of their life than developing a chronic illness.
- 23% are more scared of having to work on-site full-time than losing their retirement savings.
First of all, I think this serves as a great reminder to always consider the source when reading statistics. Who conducted the survey? Are there inherent biases? What is the size and demographic of the population surveyed? Ultimately, you can typically find stats on the internet to support whatever your argument is defending, so keep that in mind.
Regarding the issue of these people who fear on-site full-time work more than major catastrophic life events, the question is, why? I think that what they actually fear is the loss of autonomy. People want to feel trusted and to be in control of their day. In a world where technology allows knowledge workers to work from anywhere, it is nice to have the flexibility that remote work provides. Who doesn’t like feeling ultra-productive by throwing in loads of laundry in-between Zoom meetings?
My position has always been that the “right” return-to-office policy is whatever is right for that unique organization. It may be that five days in the office makes sense based on the industry, company or specific roles, but I still think there should be flexibility built into that policy. Simple things like allowing employees to shift their hours to avoid a lengthy commute or to work from home on days when they don’t have meetings and need to complete a solo project, are a no-brainer. Providing that flexibility will empower your employees, build trust, and hopefully make that in-office policy a little less scary.
LiveCareer: https://www.livecareer.com/resources/remote-work-fears-and-sentiments
Need help formulating your workplace strategy? Contact Sarah
