Is the office more synonymous with anxiety, rather than creativity?

In recent discussions surrounding the future of work, there has been a stark divide between those who champion the return to the office and those who advocate for remote working.

Last week, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt declared that office working should be the default, while Elon Musk went as far as calling remote working ‘morally wrong’. We also saw financial giant BlackRock renege its COVID policy of widespread remote working for its 20,000 staff.

“We encourage you to transition into this model by increasing your in-office days, as your schedule permits, over the next few months,” noted a memo to staff signed by Rob Goldstein, Chief Operating Officer, and Caroline Heller, Head of Human Resources.

And whilst the key reason for the return to the office seems to be that this is where key collaboration and ideation takes place, a study conducted by Currys has shed light on an interesting perspective – for some individuals, the thought of going into the office actually causes anxiety.

This raises the question: Is the office more synonymous with anxiety, rather than creativity?

The study, which explored work-related stressors, surveyed 1,500 Brits, and over half of them (54%) admitted to suffering from the ‘Sunday Scaries’ – a term used to describe pre-work dread.

Of those who experienced this anxiety, a significant 24% identified ‘going to the office’ as one of their biggest triggers. The reasons behind this anxiety could be varied, including factors such as ‘forced fun’, ‘office small talk’, or dealing with ‘background noise’. It is also plausible that the shift in working patterns post-pandemic, with many now working remotely or in hybrid arrangements, has contributed to this unease.

Interestingly, Google Trends data reveals a 110% increase in searches for ‘work from home jobs’ over the past year, indicating that individuals are actively seeking alternatives to the traditional office environment in the long term. This trend suggests a growing desire for flexibility and a perceived need to escape the potential anxieties associated with office work.

Delving deeper into the study, the research uncovered the top work-related anxieties among those experiencing the Sunday Scaries. Topping the list was the dreaded ‘boss wants to talk’ experience, with 35% of respondents selecting this as a significant source of anxiety. Receiving a vague message from the boss requesting a conversation appears to be a common worry among employees in the UK.