Why You Don’t Want to Go Back to Work? 3 Important Insights

The last two years have been difficult for business owners and managers since they were forced to work from home due to the pandemic. Neither managers nor employees were ready to transition to a remote work model, but they got used to it, and now it can even seem more comfortable and more productive for some people. The problem is that now some workers have a thinking like “I don't want to go back to work”.

That issue represents a complicated matter that managers need to address in the best way they can since, while some workers want to stay at home, others want to go back to the office as soon as they can. You don't want to create an argument or misunderstanding between your employees, so you must understand why some workers don't want to go back to the office.

The reason why your team doesn't want to go back to work can vary, depending on their situations and external agents. However, there must be some general reasons that you can address to solve the problem. We are here to help you, so keep reading this article to have some insights into why your workers don't want to go back to the office.

Why Does Your Team Want to Stay Working from Home?

If your employees' team doesn't want to go back to work at the office, it could be due to something they don't want to leave about working from home or they don’t want to go back to work after a holiday. Whether it's the comfort or the fear of the COVID-19 virus, there are ways to address those situations to make your workers more comfortable with the idea of going back to work.

Regardless of that, you need to know the things they don't feel comfortable with to solve the issue. It's essential to be ready when you know what they dislike about going back to work, so here are some insights on why your team doesn't want to go back to work:

They Are Scared of the Virus

Now that the vaccination process started, it's the best moment for companies to transition to an onsite work model, but that doesn't make the fear of catching the virus disappear. Many people are scared of getting sick and passing the virus to their family, so going back to their offices could be a setback for them.

The best way to deal with that issue is to make sure your office is a safe environment for them that follows all the biosecurity guidelines needed. If they feel protected in your workplace, your employees are more prone to agree with going back to the office, but if they feel in danger, that could jeopardize their work performance.

Regardless of that, you should do it at a slow pace. If you transition to an onsite work model right away, it can be difficult for your employees to adapt to working at the office again. That's why adopting a hybrid work model is the best you can do to test the biosecurity guidelines and prove to them that the place is secure.

They Don't Want to Stop Using the Items They Have at Home

Comfort is essential when remote or office working since it determines how much time we can spend working without feeling physical pain or mental exhaustion. If you invested money in ergonomic products, going back to using traditional chairs and desks can make you dislike the idea of going back to your old workplace.  

Back pain, anxiety, and stress are common issues that come from working for extended periods without using items that support your back. You shouldn’t undermine that issue since working under uncomfortable conditions significantly lowers your work performance and job quality.

If you want to go back to work, we highly recommend you supply your office with ergonomic products. That's the best way to address that situation since it makes your workplace more enjoyable and comfortable for you, encouraging you to keep going to the office.

Anxiety and Stress

Anxiety and stress are concerning issues that people shouldn't undermine since they can significantly damage your mental health and even cause physical pain. That also applies to the work environment, so if you feel anxious about the idea of working, convincing yourself to go is an impossible task.

Many things can make you feel stressed about the idea of going to work, from commuting to a team member you don't feel comfortable with to sitting closely with others at lunch. Regardless of which it is, you must make an effort to avoid the stress of going back to work with anxiety.

There are many methods you can try, since there are numerous tools created with the goal of helping people cope with anxiety; one of them being using a stress-reducing app because of its features that help with getting back to work. Create an empathetic culture in your team that encourages people to care about each other and help everyone to feel safe and happy working at the company.

Bottom Line

As time passes, the working environment worldwide changes and evolves, adapting to the new situations and ordeals that come up. Companies must adapt to those situations regardless if they are small start-up businesses or successful corporations with years of experience. However, that's not something negative since those changes can improve your productivity and make your company expand.

It's difficult to make all your employees happy and comfortable, but you can try finding a spot in the middle that addresses their primary concerns regarding going back to the office. Remember that going all-in without preparation is the worst thing you can do, so take into consideration what you read in this article and develop a smooth transition strategy