Elevate Your Career: The Benefits of Returning to the Office

Oh, the wonders of working from home. Short commutes. Pets in our laps. No time lost on wardrobe selections for the day. But it’s been more than three years since we first heard the word “coronavirus” and started shopping for at-home office decor.

Many companies have already recalled their remote workforce to their offices and others continue to follow suit. Rather than bemoan this return to the office, we’d like to take a look at the reasons why in-person work is so valuable to the employee — and we’re not talking about complimentary breakfast spreads or in-office pool tables.

Benefits of Returning to the Office

• Fast-Track Career Growth: Let’s start with the biggest reason first: promotions. Want to progress in your career? In-person work makes a big difference. According to one study, employees who work remotely were 50% less likely to get promoted.
• Networking & Mentoring: Why are in-person workers so much more likely to get promoted? Having access to in-person mentorship and guidance can go a long way. It’s a lot easier to get a quick lesson on a new skill or chat about your goals with a superior when you see each other every day.
• Visibility and Recognition: Proximity bias is a real thing. In-person employees and managers have a tendency to forget about those who aren’t in the office and discredit the value of their work. Being in the office simply makes your work more visible to leadership.
• Enhanced Productivity: A structured environment, better resources, the ease of collaborating with your coworkers and more, boosts productivity. That’s especially true if you’re surrounded by high-performing individuals and have a clean, efficient workspace.
• Real Boundaries & Improved Work-Life Balance: Employees find it easier to disconnect from work when they have a physical office to leave. When you’re a remote worker, it can be especially hard to turn off your work. Working from an office removes distractions that can occur at home, whether from pets, kids or the nagging pile of laundry you feel like you need tackle.
• Improved Well-Being & Happiness: In the short-term, returning to the office may make you feel resentful and negative, but the alternative, remote work, can leave us isolated. Research shows that daily connections with other people, even just an office acquaintance, provide real benefits in terms of our day-to-day sense of happiness.

Given the benefits of remote work, it’s understandable to be reluctant to return to the office. But the benefits of in-person work to employees’ careers, mental health and productivity are real. The more you focus on these positives, the easier your transition back to in-person or hybrid work will be.