We’ve never really had that conversation to this degree before. If you see it that way, then part of the tension is that there are different views and different preferences as to how that tool should be used. Many of us, including my esteemed HBS colleague Tsedal Neeley, who has spent a lot of time on this topic, have referred to the contemporary office as just another management tool.
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What’s making this situation so fraught and difficult to figure out?īERNSTEIN: Doesn’t it seem silly that, in a moment of crisis during the pandemic, we all figured out how to keep working productively without all these conversations and debates, seemingly because we were just rolling up our sleeves collectively and getting work done? And now that we have the choice, it’s the choice that makes this hard. GAZETTE: Many employers want workers back in the office but are facing pushback from employees who want to continue working remotely. Interview has been edited for clarity and length.
He spoke with the Gazette about why going back to the office is straining many workplaces and how employers and employees can work together to find an arrangement that works for everyone. Conard Associate Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, is an organizational behavior expert who has been studying how the workplace has been changing since the start of the pandemic. This recent “Return to Office” push is meeting resistance from some employees.Įthan S. But many workplaces either remain remote or have adopted a hybrid model, with staffers coming in some days and working from home others. Since the rollout of COVID vaccines, many businesses have brought workers back full-time.