'New era' | Office return causing anxiety for many, new data finds

Over half of all UK-based office workers have felt anxiety about the prospect of returning to the office, a new report has found.

The research, titled Resetting Normal: Defining the New Era of Work, surveyed 1,000 office-based workers in the UK, and ascertained that the past 18 months have led to a steep rise in feelings of anxiety over the concept of in-person interactions with colleagues.

Around 35% of respondents admitted that their mental wellbeing has suffered in this time, while over a third have complained of having to work too hard, potentially putting them at risk of burnout during the last year.

However, not all of the findings were negative. In fact, despite the ‘back-to-office’ anxiety, 52% of workers reported feeling happier now following the changes to work caused by the pandemic in the past 12 months.