August 17, 2023

A survey of over 1,156 senior executives and workplace managers in the U.S. by Envoy and Hanover Research has found that 80% of them would have approached their company’s return-to-office strategy differently if they had access to workplace data to inform their decision.

The survey found that many executives made decisions based on their own personal biases and limited perspectives, which can lead to costly mistakes. For example, the report found that employees come and go at different times of the day and week, and adherence to onsite policies can vary greatly by location.

This makes it impossible for workplace managers to know how many people are onsite on any given day, and how to best allocate space and resources across the organization.

The report also found that many executives are not aware of the latest workplace trends, such as the increasing popularity of hybrid work arrangements. As a result, they are making decisions that may not be in the best interests of their employees or their company.

The survey’s findings suggest that executives need to do more to collect and analyze workplace data before making decisions about their return-to-office strategy. By doing so, they can make more informed decisions that are in line with the needs of their employees and their company.

In addition to the Envoy survey, other recent reports have also found that many businesses are rethinking their return-to-office plans. For example, Google has sent workers missives threatening to take “next steps” if they don’t come in three days a week. And Amazon appears to be sending warning letters to those who don’t report for duty at an office for the required three days.

The sources for this piece include an article in TheRegister.