Most research into employment and worker preferences currently show that hybrid work has been heralded as the future of work. Many see the mix of remote work and office work as an ideal employment situation, with many companies across the globe playing around with such a concept. However, there is reason to believe that workers themselves might end up being the ones falling out of love for such a system of work. The issue is complex, with different employees finding diverse reasons as to why they might not prefer the hybridity on the work place. Some might find it difficult to switch seamlessly between home and office work environments, having to keep two different work spaces updated constantly and alternating between them.

Keeping technology, books and other important tools in one place might be made more difficult if the worker is forced to work from different spaces altogether. This is also worsened depending on the socio-economic status of the workers themselves. Some may have comfortable abodes to turn to, but not everyone is so lucky. Some employees might have to turn crammed living spaces into full-on work spaces. Others on the other hand, who wish to work up their way in the company ladder, might want to work more prominently in the office so as to be closer to their supervisors.

Some might end up feeling that despite being highly productive, their work is not being noticed by supervisors. They might feel dismissed or undervalued to no direct feedback being given. Social connections are also another major incentive for employees to work at the office. Bonding and working as a team has immense productivity value which being isolated at home does not provide. There are also studies which show that workers who spend more time with managers are more likely to rise up through the ranks. This is known as the proximity bias.

All this in mind, researches are seeing that workers consider showing up to the office a sacrifice worth making for several reasons. Bosses need to set up clear schedules as to who gets to show up at the office and how many times. If not, an imbalance between the more go-getter type employees and the rest could be created. For now, especially as we all deal with a pandemic, employers are urged to keep tabs on how workspaces can be adapted instead of jumping head straight into this model. It might turn out that the traditional office work could win out over the innovative.

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