The hacks introverts are using to survive and thrive in the RTO era

• As offices become more crowded, introverts are readjusting to face-to-face work.

• Employees share their energy-saving tips, including finding quiet office hideaways.

• Some companies, such as Cisco or KPMG, redesign office spaces to suit employees’ preferences.

I search the office for an empty conference room. Spending lunch outside on a bench for a few minutes of silence. You can stack meetings into one part of the day so that you can spend the rest uninterrupted.

If you identify as an introvert, these habits may sound familiar.

Organizational psychologist Anique van der Putten told Business Insider that introverts make up roughly 40 to 50% of the workforce, although estimates vary. They often prefer lower levels of external stimulation and need time alone to recharge after prolonged social interaction or other highly stimulating experiences, he said.

During the pandemic, many white-collar introverts have been able to enjoy a setup that suits their strengths: remote work. Now, as employers double return to office instructions As hybrid policies tighten and tighten, offices fill up again and introverts relearn how to navigate workplaces that reward interaction, visibility and spontaneous collaboration.

find silence

Clinical psychologist and neuroscience researcher Nargiza Noimann-Zander told Business Insider that working remotely during the pandemic offers employees the possibility of a new arrangement with less background noise, less unplanned conversation, and less pressure to remain socially available throughout the day.

“So returning to the office may feel more intense than before because people have now experienced an alternative,” Noimann-Zander wrote via email.

Although he returned to duty mandates have been in place for some time, office attendance has continued to increase and is now near its post-pandemic high; The average weekly office occupancy rate is around 52.5%. to data from physical security and real estate technology company Kastle.

Tech recruiter Linda Le, who describes herself as a “proud introvert” on LinkedIn, said returning to in-person work was overwhelming, especially because her job already requires so much interaction. She said she was “crying a lot” at first and felt overstimulated by the constant background noise and interruptions.

“I remember going into a room and having a panic attack,” Le said.

Some workers have developed rituals to manage feelings of overstimulation. Charles Broomfield, a 26-year-old engineering analyst who works at Google, said he keeps his headphones on during the day and prefers to eat meals alone unless someone wants to join him.

“I love the quiet time, that space, and recharging,” said Broomfield, who goes to the office five days a week.

Catherine Fadaşe, She, who works in marketing and communications in London, said returning to the office in 2023 was a “huge change”. These days, after working in person, he spends an hour in complete silence and stays away from social media to reduce his stress. He dreams of going on stage three days a week.

“As the elevator doors opened, I felt like ‘this is my entrance,'” Fadashe previously told Business Insider. “I have a mental countdown.”

How are offices evolving?

As more employees return to the office, some companies including KPMG And Superhuman redesigns offices better supporting different working styles and making employees want to spend more time in those styles.

Data from Kastle shows office attendance is almost 20% higher in so-called “A+ office buildings,” or new offices with modern designs and world-class amenities.

Cisco redesigned its London office to accommodate neurodiverse employees and installed a technology-free, soundproof wellness room for employees who want to get away from screens. Bob Cicero, a workplace manager at Cisco who specializes in smart buildings and real estate, said employees hang out there after the commute to “reset their minds.”

Stephanie Miller, a spokesperson for Hock, a design firm that implements offices that support a variety of work needs, told Business Insider that office design fundamentally affects productivity.

“If you can find the environment that supports your sensory levels and allows you to not be distracted by noise, smells, patterns, you will be able to be more focused and more productive,” Miller said.

Kelly Dubisar, design director at Gensler, which designs offices for companies including Nvidia, said the firm has seen increased demand for offices that support a wider range of work styles since the pandemic.

Newer offices may include dedicated collaboration spaces, quiet focus rooms with dim lighting, and flexible workspaces that give employees more control over noise and stimulation. Gensler’s 2026 Workplace SurveyThe research, based on responses from more than 16,000 full-time office workers, suggests that employees are more likely to view their workplaces as productive when they offer manageable noise levels, flexible furniture, up-to-date technology and focused work and relaxation spaces.

Gensler’s San Francisco office features a wide variety of furniture and lighting options to meet specific sensory needs. It also has installations to support different thermal and acoustic preferences. For example, one of the spaces, called The Vault, features a quiet space of deep focus, free of darkness and conversations.

For some workers, such quiet corners and rooms became a haven. Communications worker Erin Mantz said the “nooks, crannies and quiet rooms” in the various offices she’s worked in since the pandemic have helped her focus.

Van der Putten said some people make the assumption that introverts are shy or anxious, but that’s not necessarily true. While many introverts tell Business Insider they enjoy a quiet space to recharge at work, many don’t want the office to be quiet and enjoy collaborating with co-workers face-to-face. But they wanted space to control when these interactions occurred and to recharge afterward.

“I’m not afraid of going to the office,” Le said, adding that he chats with colleagues throughout the day and goes to quiet places when he wants to focus or attend calls.

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