The post-Covid period has seen many employers request staff return to the office again, but research from the University of Leeds highlights how reluctantly many workers are making the transition. The study found that over a third of office workers are working in the office more than they would like to.

The researchers found that 39% of office workers are what the researchers refer to as “hybrid misfits” in that they aren’t striking an acceptable balance between working at home and working in the office.

Disconnected ambitions

This matters, as the researchers found that when workers were forced into the office more than they would like, they were also more likely to report lower job satisfaction and were more likely to want to change jobs, not least because of their poorer work-life balance. Despite this, the researchers remind us that going into the office does have benefits, but striking the balance is difficult.

“Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to ‘How many days should I come to the office?’ Spending more time than you ideally want in the office appears detrimental, but there is no universal sweet spot,” they explain. “The number of days should be determined based on job role, business requirements, and employee preferences, giving choice and control to the individual where possible.”

The findings emerged after analyzing daily diary data to understand how employees felt and behaved at work, both when they were in the office and at home. The results show that they typically reported higher levels of engagement and satisfaction when working from home, as well as suggesting higher performance, less work-family conflict, and a greater propensity to help colleagues.

The right environment

The findings highlight the importance of striking the right balance, with autonomy arguably the key to success. Sadly, 20% of workers reported having no control over their work patterns. This is a managerial mistake, as autonomy and control were strongly linked to wellbeing, productivity, and job satisfaction.

A hybrid work pattern was not ideal for everyone, however, with 27% of workers reporting that they lack suitable space at home to work effectively. There were also personality differences at play, with extroverts more likely to want to work physically close to their boss. The authors also explain that while many workers wanted training to help them work effectively in a hybrid environment, hardly any actually received any.

“Organizations need to directly engage with staff to identify where there are hybrid misfits, try to align preferences and work patterns where possible, and to be explicit about hybrid norms and expectations with new hires to improve fit going forward,” the authors conclude.