Almost every innovation, except accidental ones such as penicillin and dynamite, has come from a concerted effort to overcome a challenge. The work from home revolution is both an answer to a challenge (the pandemic and restrictions on movement) and now a challenge itself, with bosses grappling with how to bring workers back into the office.

Employees have felt the benefits over the past four years. It’s hard to lose the taste for reduced commute times, quality time with family and, for many, getting more done – whether it’s a load of washing on their lunch break, or focusing better on their work.

Bosses aren’t as sold on the benefits of remote working as their employees. Credit: iStock

But from KPMG’s survey of more than 1300 chief executives late last year, it’s clear bosses in general aren’t sold on the benefits. Two out of three chief executives think workers will be back in the office full-time by 2025.

If that sounds out of touch, it’s probably because it is. Swinburne University of Technology associate professor of supply chain management, John Hopkins, said CEOs “might be a little bit far away from the coalface”, and PwC Future of Work leader Caitlin Guilfoyle said bosses are likely nostalgic for what has worked previously.

Of course, there are benefits to people sharing a space: building rapport, efficient communication and, especially for newer employees, informal opportunities to learn from their seniors. But employees recognise these benefits and most do want to be in the office, at least part-time. Hopkins says fewer than 10 per cent want to work completely remotely.

“How many days do you work from home?” has shot up the list of questions people ask at barbecues and awkward networking events. It’s often followed by unprompted self-reflection: usually, how we’re more productive in one place over the other. The split of answers reflects workers’ diverse needs and preferences, as well as the sense that a reasonable expectation is probably two to three days in the office.

Many companies are gradually mandating more days in the office, or dangling financial incentives to coax employees back from remote work, but the pushback they’re receiving, from experts and workers alike, shows the need for a rethink.

Productivity has been in the spotlight, but the evidence has been mixed for flexible work. That’s probably a reflection of individual differences which would be present whether people worked mostly from the office or home, and how well-trained managers are to support remote employees.