Microsoft Survey Reveals That Senior Leaders Are Adamant About In-Office Work

According to a new survey from Microsoft, executives are becoming more adamant about in-person work despite the emergence of a new coronavirus subvariant. 

The survey shows that 50% of employers are currently requiring or have plans to require employees to be in the office full-time.  

Although worker expectations have changed in the last few years and committing to antiquated work operations has driven the Great Resignation, some leaders are determined to return to pre-pandemic normalcy. 

Fifty-two percent of employee respondents said that they are considering finding a remote or hybrid job. Additionally, 54% of mid-management workers said that senior leadership is out of touch with employees, but 74% do not have the influence to enact change for their employees. 

Even more, the survey showed that remote job positions attract 2.6 times the views and almost three times the applicants as in-person jobs. 

In 2021, around 18% of people left their jobs for a variety of reasons, including personal wellbeing, mental health, lack of flexibility, and fears of contracting Covid-19. 

Over the last few weeks, both state and local governments have dialed back on Covid-related safety measures as health officials warn of rising cases driven by the new Omicron subvariant BA.2. Although the severity of the subvariant is still unclear, officials estimate that it is 30% more transmissible than Omicron, but potentially less severe in terms of the actual disease.