Over a Third of US Employees Are Waiting for Their Return-to-Office Plans

As the pandemic rages on in the US, employees are uncertain of their futures—specifically if, when, and how they will be returning to their offices. According to a recent study conducted by LinkedIn that surveyed nearly 3,000 American workers, 36 percent of respondents who were working from home say they’ve yet to hear from their employer if they can expect to remain remote or will be expected to return to the office. But even employers with concrete plans are now second-guessing themselves. As the Delta variant surges and the Biden administration has issued new guidance, doubt has been cast on returning to physical workplaces for the time being. As stressful as this state of flux is for employees, it’s important for leadership to communicate clearly with their teams—even if the message is “we don’t know yet.” “It’s all about communication,” Shannon Hardy, LinkedIn’s vice president of flexible work, said. “Even sharing where you are in the planning process or what criteria is being used to determine plans will help employees feel seen and prioritized.”