The Great Workplace Return: 90% of Employees Say Being Back In-Office Is Better Than Expected, Envoy Survey Reports

Employees are thriving by changing up the workplace routine: Office hours shift earlier and team collaboration is saved for days onsite

The way we work, interact, and communicate in the workplace has been flipped on its head since the pandemic. And with the shift comes new workplace habits.

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When do you arrive or leave the office now compared to before Covid? (Graphic: Business Wire)

Employees are adopting new ways of working, refreshing old skills, and focusing on their well-being. They’re also reassessing how they spend their time in the workplace. Envoy’s latest Return to the Workplace report reveals which old routines people are setting aside in favor of new ones.

Here are the top ways behaviors and attitudes are shifting:

Employees are making the most of office life—and it’s better than expected

• While many have wrestled with the decision to return, once onsite almost everyone (90%) surveyed says that being back is better than they expected.
• Even among those required to return, there’s consensus: 91% feel the office experience is better than they thought it would be – and 42% say that it truly exceeded their expectations.
• According to Envoy’s survey earlier this year, there’s a lot to gain by showing up. People are most excited to meet up with work friends, collaborate in-person, or just get out of the house.

Employees are changing up the old 9 to 5 schedule.

• A little over half (52%) of employees have switched up their pre-pandemic commute to the office.
• Office hours have shifted earlier. Over a third (34%) are coming in earlier than they did before Covid and about a quarter (26%) are taking off earlier. Only 19% are coming in later compared to 24% who are staying later.
• New hires are staying longer at the office compared to pre-pandemic. For those that changed jobs during the pandemic (35%), 41% are arriving earlier and 31% are leaving later.
• In comparison, those returning to the same job are sticking to tried and true routines. 57% arrive and 60% leave the office at their usual pre-pandemic time. Only 30% are arriving earlier and 20% are leaving later.

Employees are re-learning top skills like time management.

86% of those we surveyed are rebooting essential workplace skills that have gone dormant while working from home.

• Time management is number one at 40%. Meanwhile, 31% say they’re rusty when it comes to small talk and interacting with others.
• 29% are practicing in-person presentation skills.
• Picking out the right work outfit after two years of elastic waistbands also ranks high on the refresh list (29%).
• After so long communicating via video, 28% are re-learning how to maintain good body posture.

Employees are taking control of in-office work days.

People are feeling more empowered to switch up the routine since the pandemic. Nearly all (93%) are planning their work days as they see fit. Many are blending in downtime in the form of personal breaks or social activity. Or, planning specific tasks for workplace days.

• 36% of employees say they’re reserving priority meetings and collaborative work for days onsite.
• Taking more breaks while at the office (31%) and running personal errands (29%) are priorities for nearly a third of employees—especially men. They’re more likely than women to take needed breaks during the workday or run personal errands.
• Mental well-being is also top of mind, especially for Gen Z. These younger workers are more inclined than any other generation to take a mental health day.
• Workers are also making more space in their schedules to socialize at the workplace—more so than before Covid. 34% are hanging out more with coworkers in the office. 27% are making the effort to meet new coworkers, and nearly a quarter (24%) are attending more happy hours or other post-work events.

“Folks want to get to know the people they work with. So the intention should be to bring people into the office on a few specific days so they can benefit from working together IRL,” said Larry Gadea, CEO and founder of Envoy. “There’s a ton of value in being with people and generating ideas in-person. It’s what can inspire and motivate teams – and make that commute worthwhile. We need to be consistent and persistent when talking about this value of hybrid work.”

For more behavioral trends, read the full survey report here.

About This Survey

Envoy partnered with Wakefield Research to survey 1,000 U.S. office workers who have “returned” to the workplace. "Returned" is defined as those working from the workplace at least 1 full day per week and returned in the last 12 months, but not within the last 30 days. Survey responses were collected between May 12 and May 22, 2022, using an email invitation and online survey.

Quotas were set to ensure an accurate representation of U.S. office workers who have returned to the workplace. The overall margin of error for the findings is ±3.1% at a 95% confidence level.

About Envoy

Envoy is transforming modern workplaces for hybrid work and safely bringing people together so they can connect, collaborate, and thrive. Envoy’s workplace platform has redefined how companies welcome visitors, keep employees safe, book desks and conference rooms, and manage deliveries in over 16,000 locations around the globe by designing products for a flexible workplace experience. Companies like Slack, Pinterest, and Warby Parker rely on Envoy to create an unrivaled first impression and keep their offices safe and compliant.

For more information, please visit envoy.com.

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