While people around the world have been returning to restaurants, concerts, and travel, there’s one place many of them aren’t going: the office. Many business leaders who craved, demanded, or expected a five-day-a-week, nine-to-five return to office (RTO) have been disappointed, and in some cases even had to roll back mandates.
To Get People Back in the Office, Make It Social
New research from Microsoft confirms that for most workers, the people are the point.
September 22, 2022
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Summary.
There’s a strong desire among business decision makers (BDMs) to get people back into the office. Data from the latest Microsoft Work Trend Index research shows that 82% of BDMs say getting back to the office in person is a concern. But, two years of zero commuting time and an ability to more effectively manage work-life balance means employees are looking for a compelling reason to schlep back to the office — and 73% of them say they need a better reason than just company expectations. So, the question becomes, what is a compelling reason to come into the office? When asked what would motivate them to come into the office, employees had a resounding answer: social time with coworkers. The author presents three ways for leaders to prioritize building and rebuilding connections between people to fuel creativity, teamwork, and strong support systems that empower them to tackle challenges.
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HBR Learning
HBR Learning
Team Management Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Team Management. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Build a better team and achieve more of what matters.