What Type of Workers Will Never Return to the Office?

Now that the whole world has gotten a taste of remote working, some employees may never want to return to the office.

While some companies like Apple have seen benefits of remote working that they will maintain post-pandemic, other companies like JP Morgan Chase & Co. have felt that working from home has led to economic and social damage. 

If the largest companies in the world are disagreeing over this, imagine the varying perspectives within your workplace.

Not everybody will be so keen on returning. 

So which employees will be resisting a return to the office?

Let’s explore this!

Introverts will prefer to keep remote working instead of returning to the office

Introverts are people who thrive in their own space, which is why they enjoy remote work. 

They feel most productive and focused when they are alone, or at the very least, left alone in an office environment. 

Introverts typically don’t love small talk and don’t feel the need to check in with people all the time. They are more comfortable eating alone and sticking to their personal bubble of daily routines that work for them. 

An office environment can often hinder the productivity of introverts because

• They can feel distracted when others approach them throughout the day.
• They rely on themselves for validation and don’t always need to get confirmation from others.
• They have a better time problem-solving when they are alone.
• They don’t look forward to leaving their home. Their home is actually where they have established the most routines.  
• They are good at self-soothing when they encounter a problem, and don’t rely on others to regain composure.
• They are not the most enthusiastic about workplace routines and dynamics.

Introverts are the most excited about working from home. If this year was their first time doing it, they probably realized they never felt more happy with their job.

Ambiverts don’t want to return to the office… or maybe they do

Ambiverts, being somewhere in the middle between introverts and extroverts, might not mind either way. They might just have different preferences on different days. 

But what exactly is an ambivert?

These are people who can switch between being outgoing and antisocial depending on their mood, needs, or objectives at the moment. They are also referred to as:

1. Social introvert
2. Antisocial extroverts
3. Outgoing introverts 

To better understand them, let’s also briefly look at the extrovert’s relationship with the office

Extroverts are people who thrive in social settings. They appreciate the office environment because:

• They enjoy receiving validation throughout the day from their boss.
• They enjoy problem-solving with their co-workers and are team players.
• Getting dressed-up, leaving their home and receiving stimuli from the outside world is a positive experience for them. 
• They like to rely on other coworkers to vent their frustrations. 
• They might not be the best at self-soothing when they encounter a problem, and rely on others to help them resolve it and regain composure.
• They relish in office activities, routines and workplace dynamics.

The table below depicts the experiences of extroverts, introverts and ambiverts in regards to working from the office

Keep in mind that you can have a mix of all these types of personalities on your team.

Some people will miss the office, and others… not so much. You should plan accordingly how you re-introduce working from the office, or not, back into your business.

Throughout the years here at Support Adventure, we have had many employees who go to the office to work and some that never do. Both sets of employees were productive.

It doesn’t have to be one or the other, so keep that option in mind.

If you need help with this transition, check out our many guides to running a remote business.

Some other people who don’t want to return to the office

Whether they are an introvert, extrovert or ambivert, there are other types of people who would probably prefer to continue working from home.

They are:

1. Your health and fitness-obsessed employee
2. Your most brilliant problem-solvers
3. Your responsible traveler employee
4. Your caregiver-obligated worker

Let’s take a look at them and why the office life might not be for them.

Your health and fitness-dedicated employee

One of the benefits of working from home for health and fitness freaks is that it allows the most flexibility in staying on top of exercise and diet.

Working from home helps facilitate this lifestyle because

1. They can exercise outside or at home and avoid commuting to a gym.
2. They have access to their fridge and pantry and have more flexibility with what they can eat throughout the day.
3. They don’t feel pressured into eating with their coworkers at places that don’t accommodate their diet.
4. They can perform mini workouts throughout the day which they couldn’t achieve in an office.

When one spends eight hours in an office, they might not have time to run to the gym or have access to the appliances they need for their food. 

Working from home  makes things a lot easier for them. 

Your MVP employee

That’s right. Your most brilliant thinkers and creators on your team might have realized that working from home ameliorates their productivity. 

Why is that?

1. Highly creative and productive people often work better without distractions.
2. These people can validate their concepts and ideas on their own, and might prefer not to be disturbed. 
3. They look inward for focus and strategy. Outside interference can jeopardize their momentum.

If you notice that your MVP employees are producing even better results working from home, then you should take note

That is where they create the most momentum for themselves. Who wants to get in the way of that? 

Your responsible travel-loving employee

Some people who might have fallen in love with working from home are those who realized they can actually work from different locations. 

Many people are passionate about travel. Remote opportunities help travelers have more gratitude than they would have had being confined to an office. 

Working in the office greatly hinders people who prioritize travel for the following reasons.

1. It keeps employees confined to one location. 
2. It prevents flexibility with catching flights and busses. 
3. It often promotes a stressful work-a-holic culture. 
4. All work and no play can lead to high levels of job dissatisfaction. 

Support Adventure gives people the option of working from any location of their choosing. We have employees in the Americas, Asia, Europe and Africa.

Frequent travels are some of the best remote employees to have. They will do everything they can to not mess up at a job that helps them maintain travel in their life.

Employees with family commitments

Whether someone is a parent, primary caregiver or has a loved one to look after, not reporting to an office can greatly help their life. 

This is so because:

1. A caregiver can check-in on the person or child in their care periodically throughout the day.
2.  A commute to the office is removed as an extra hassle in their day. 
3. The caregiver can save money on paying for other services to look after their child or family member.

One of the most rewarding aspects of managing a remote team is the ability to be accommodating and flexible. 

Someone’s responsibilities outside of work shouldn’t stop them from having a job and being a valued team member. 

Remote work does not reduce productivity

Employers might feel discouraged from having a remote team because it might seem easier to track what your employees are doing in the office. 

But that is not the case as long as you do the following things: 

• Create documentation of procedures and tasks, which acts as a northern light for employees–new and old. When you are onboarding new employees or clients, documentation directs where to go with tasks, and in what order. With existing employees, documentation acts as a compass that redirects them when they’re lost, reminding them what they’re supposed to do and where in the sequence they should advance to and how to get help when they can’t go any further with an issue. 
• Rely on ticketing systems as to keeping track of every task, and resolving issues in your business. This holds true for internal and external issues. Tickets are the key to the past, present and future actions associated with a ticket’s resolution.  A well updated ticket will allow you to see what’s happening without interrupting your staff. Having your staff keep good ticket notes is essential.
• Use role sheets and checklists to assist your staff each day in knowing what they have to do, and in making sure they actually do it. This adds accountability and transparency so that expectations are clear and staff know what to do.

When you have these systems in place, you don’t have to micromanage every little nook and cranny of your business. Instead you create accountability and responsibility from your team. That is what truly makes you a great remote boss!

The remote work revolution is here to stay. We hope this helped you to embrace it!

Have any questions about going fully remote? Ask us and we’ll answer in the comments below.