Returning to work after COVID-19-induced remote work raises morale - study
The study was carried out in October 2020, prior to another wave of COVID-19 infections that has forced many employees to resume working remotely.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFEmployees work at the offices of "Time Out Tel Aviv" magazine in Tel Aviv, Israel September 28, 2017.(photo credit: AMIR COHEN/REUTERS)
Employees who return to the office after being forced to work from home have shown substantially improved morale and performance, according to a new study commissioned by Israeli company WeWork.The research comes as many workplaces are seeing employees come back after the coronavirus forced them to work remotely.Returning to the office four to five days a week saw a 54% rise in morale, with those returning just one to five days a week having a rise of over 40%. Productivity was also shown rising if the company handled the return to work safely. In particular, providing employees with personal protective equipment and hand sanitizer was seen as having the most positive impact.“Our research echoes what we’re hearing from our members - how important the office is for employee wellbeing and morale," WeWork general manager Benjy Singer said in a statement."Working remotely has stifled productivity, with employees missing the workplace as a space for human connection, innovation, and company culture."The study was carried out in October 2020, prior to another wave of COVID-19 infections that has forced many employees to resume working remotely.The study comes as Israel is mulling entering a third lockdown ahead of the Hanukkah holiday, with the coronavirus cabinet having recently approved a curfew, though this has yet to be approved by the government.
