Employers: The Burden of Going Back Into The Office Is Not as Bad as You Think — It's Worse. Leaders falsely perceive employee wellbeing to be already high and believe the burden of going to the office will be not that bad in this broader context. This disconnect between perception and reality is what I call the "Wellbeing Paradox."
By Gleb Tsipursky Edited by Maria Bailey
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In the modern business landscape, the wellbeing of employees is no longer a peripheral concern. And it has become a central metric in determining the effectiveness of hybrid work policies, as found in new survey research from the Information Services Group.
Of course, people have better wellbeing if they have greater flexibility of when to come to the office and when to work from home. However, a worrying trend has emerged: leaders often overestimate the wellbeing of their employees, as reported by a study from Deloitte and Workplace Intelligence.
The result? Leaders are willing to sacrifice employee wellbeing and mandate a return to office for most or all of the work week. That's because they perceive employee wellbeing to be already high, and believe the burden of going to the office will be not that bad in this broader context.
This disconnect between perception and reality is what I call the "Wellbeing Paradox.
Wellbeing and hybrid work
The ISG survey of more than 200 global IT and enterprise executives found that 81% rate mental health as a top employee concern and a key factor in their organization's decisions around remote and flexible working. This underscores the importance leaders are placing on mental health in the hybrid work model.
However, the survey also revealed that executives are less confident in their ability to enhance the overall employee experience. This suggests that while leaders are aware of the importance of mental health, they may not be fully equipped to address it effectively.
The survey also highlighted the positive impact of remote work on work-life balance and talent acquisition. Most respondents said remote work has positively impacted the work-life balance their enterprise offers as well as their ability to attract talent. This suggests that flexible work policies can contribute to employee wellbeing and organizational success.
The ISG survey suggests that business leaders are under increasing pressure to foster a workplace culture that is attractive to new talent and current employees, especially Gen-Z employees. This includes framing policies that consider socio-human factors such as the organization's impact on larger society, and concerns about diversity, equity and inclusion, and environmental impact.
The macro-micro disconnect
Over the last year, as organizations have begun transitioning back to the office, highlighted the differences in perceptions among leaders and their staff, what I call the "macro-micro disconnect." Executives, focused on the macro picture of their organizations, often overlook the micro picture of their employees' wellbeing. This tunnel vision can lead to a distorted understanding of the workforce's actual state of wellbeing.
Executives, viewing the return to office from a macro perspective, often see it as a solution to the isolation and disconnection that remote work may have caused for some employees. They believe that bringing the team back together physically will foster collaboration, boost morale and ultimately improve mental wellbeing. This is reflected in the Deloitte and Workplace Intelligence survey, where 77% of executives believe that workers' mental wellbeing improved over the last year.
However, the micro perspective of the employees tells a different story. For many, the return to office has brought about a new set of challenges that impact their wellbeing. These can include the stress of commuting, readjusting to the office environment, balancing home and work life, and concerns about health and safety in the workplace. This is reflected in the same survey, where only 33% of employees feel that their mental wellbeing has improved.
The discrepancy is even more pronounced when it comes to social and financial wellbeing. The return to office might have increased social interaction, but it also reintroduced office politics and reduced the flexibility that remote work provided, while reducing their connections to family and friends. Financially, employees may face increased costs associated with commuting, professional attire, and meals, among others. Only 27% of employees feel their social wellbeing improved, and only 30% of employees feel that their financial wellbeing got better.
This widening gap between the macro view of executives and the micro experience of employees underscores the importance of leaders taking a more holistic and empathetic approach to their employees' wellbeing. It's not enough to make decisions based on macro trends and broad assumptions. Leaders must also consider the individual experiences of their employees and understand how policies like the return to office impact them on a personal level.
Related: The Forced Return to Office is the Definition of Insanity. Here's Why.
The role of leaders in addressing the wellbeing paradox
Leaders play a crucial role in addressing the wellbeing paradox, as I tell my clients who I help figure out their flexible policies. They must recognize the disconnect between their perceptions and the reality of their employees' wellbeing. They must also understand the impact of work on wellbeing and take steps to mitigate these effects.
The Deloitte survey suggests that managers, who interface directly with employees on a daily basis, play a pivotal role in improving wellbeing. However, they often face organizational obstacles such as rigid scheduling requirements and lack of necessary skills. Only 42% of managers feel "completely" empowered and capable of helping their company achieve its wellbeing commitments.
To address the wellbeing paradox, leaders must embrace the concept of "human sustainability." This involves helping employees become healthier, more skilled, and more connected to a sense of purpose and belonging. It includes giving workers much more flexibility, opportunities to develop their skills and progress their careers and ensuring equitable pay.
Companies that resist improving their workforce wellbeing or advancing human sustainability will find it increasingly difficult to compete for talent that values these critical missions. In the era of hybrid work, the wellbeing of employees is not just a metric—it's a mandate. Leaders must recognize this and take the necessary steps to ensure that their policies reflect the reality of their employees' overall physical, mental, and emotional health, focusing not only on their subjective perceptions but also on objective measures and outcomes.
Conclusion
The surveys highlight a significant disconnect between executives and employees regarding the state of employee wellbeing. While executives believe that well-being has improved, the reality for many employees is quite different. Work-related stressors are a significant obstacle to well-being, and many employees are considering leaving their jobs for ones that better support their well-being. Companies need to prioritize employee well-being and human sustainability to retain and attract talent. That means recognizing the truth that an inflexible, rigid, top-down mandated return to office is undermining wellbeing instead of contributing to it, necessitating a wholesale reconsideration of flexibility in the workplace.
