Happier going back to the office? One in five workers spend day without speaking to a colleague

Better communication and wellbeing are among the reasons why many employers are bringing teams back to the office in the wake of the Covid outbreak; Only one in seven people now work exclusively remotely.

The return to office argument is supported by: published researchfound that remote working significantly increases isolation and worsens mental health, especially for those living alone.

Although many workers have returned to office-based work, 41 percent now work exclusively away from home based on Old home-centered habits remain firmly in place, a new survey has suggested – according to the Office for National Statistics.

Workplace training platform Kahoot! The survey of 2,000 UK civil servants, commissioned by , found that one in five workers still go an entire working day without speaking to a colleague face-to-face.

Worse, more than half use email over other messaging services to communicate with people in the same room.

According to research, two in five people feel disconnected at work, even when surrounded by colleagues.

“Workplaces have spent years optimizing productivity, flexibility, and efficiency, but many have unintentionally engineered the daily human connection that people need to feel engaged and supported,” said Sean D’Arcy, Kahoot!’s chief solutions officer.

“What’s striking is that this isn’t happening among employees working alone. It’s happening in busy offices surrounded by colleagues. Employees tell us they want stronger workplace relationships, but many are simultaneously protecting themselves through distance, boundaries and emotional masking.”

The survey also showed that 46 percent of employees say their only interactions with co-workers are meetings; but almost two-thirds said they would attend a corporate office celebration or party, suggesting they wanted to connect.

Latest data from the ONS shows that between January and March last year, 14 per cent of people worked exclusively from home. Meanwhile, 41 percent were traveling only to work and 28 percent were using a hybrid model.

Higher earners and those with diploma level qualifications were more likely to like working on a hybrid model.

Levels of remote and hybrid working peaked during the Covid pandemic, but more people are returning to the workplace as restrictions ease, ONS data shows.

In a newspaper called Buay Home alone: ​​Remote work isolation and mental health, It was published with ScienceResearchers found that although a majority of employees want to work remotely, this actually increases isolation and worsens mental health.

The research found that four out of five remote workers go all day without social contact.

It seems like many companies are listening. Last year Barclays told staff to come into the office an extra day each week, making it the latest company to tighten its hybrid working policy.

PwC, Santander and Asda are among other companies that have tightened their work-from-home policies.