Nearly half of U.S. workers fear returning to office more than getting divorced
82% say working remotely is better for their mental health than working onsite.
Four years after the pandemic shut down workspaces around the country, the return-to-office trend has many Americans worried about venturing back to their previous work environments. In fact, according to a new survey, 43% of U.S. employees are more afraid of working in an office full-time than of getting a divorce or ending a romantic relationship. And 53% fear in-office work more than climate change.
That eye-opening data can be found in the recently released “Fears & Remote Work Report” from online resume builder LiveCareer. The report details how more than 3,850 employers feel about a full-time return to the office, as well as how remote work impacts their mental health, job satisfaction and productivity.
“Having several years of experience in remote and hybrid work environments, the workforce has come to appreciate and understand the advantages and perks of flexible work setups — even those who initially harbored doubts about the feasibility of remote work,” the report notes. “While nearly half (44%) of respondents said they were skeptical that remote work would be successful before they tried it, the majority now prefer a remote or hybrid work arrangement.”
Women (74%) prefer remote work more than men (63%), while 22% of all respondents prefer a hybrid model. Even more telling: 49% of respondents “don’t enjoy traditional office work.”
Other highlights of the report:
- 41% fear working in an office full-time more than getting into a car accident.
- 34% are more afraid of working in an office full-time than having $10,000 stolen.
- 82% say working remotely is better for their mental health than working onsite.
- 79% say that working remotely is less stressful than in-office work.
Related: Remote work roles dropped 25% since 2021, employees pushing RTO mandates
- 62% say overall job satisfaction is greatest when they work remotely 100% of the time.
- 60% feel most productive working remotely 100% of the time.
- 7 out of 10 workers want to work remotely 100% of the time, citing better mental health, job satisfaction, and productivity.
“Companies that require employees to return to the office full-time, may find only a small portion of workers thrive in a strictly on-site work environment,” the report concluded. “As employers decide whether to continue to permit remote and hybrid work options, it’s key to consider employees’ preferences and the work setup that best supports their wellbeing and performance. If not, employee retention and recruiting efforts could become a scary subject.”