As organizations push for their employees to return to traditional office environments, they face numerous challenges, from logistical concerns to employee resistance. But one significant issue, often overlooked, is the potential increase in sexual harassment incidents associated with in-person work.

Advocates for returning to the office must seriously consider this reality, as current measures from companies, government agencies and non-profits appear insufficient to address this critical problem.

The evidence connecting in-person work environments with higher rates of sexual harassment is compelling. A 19th News-SurveyMonkey poll, for example, reveals that employees working in-person are more than twice as likely to experience sexual harassment (12 percent) as those working remotely (5 percent).

These statistics underscore the protective barrier that remote work can offer, particularly for women and marginalized groups who are disproportionately affected by workplace harassment.

The poll further highlights disparities across various demographics. For workers under the age of 35, 8 percent of remote workers reported harassment, versus 14 percent of those working in-person.

Workers identifying as non-binary reported a significant decrease in harassment incidents during remote work periods, with 20 percent experiencing harassment in the past three........

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