RIGHT SPEAK: Media Still Undercounting Return-to-Office Phenomenon; How Return-to-Office Policies are Shaping Employee Mental Health, and other C-Virus related stories

Media still undercounting return-to-office phenomenon:

The media continues to absurdly undercount, downplay or misunderstand the return-to-office phenomenon, although the surge should be obvious from the current leasing frenzy and from crowds on the street.

For example, Crain’s last week questioned whether the 345 Park Ave. murders would “impact the city’s already stagnant return-to-office rates.”

The story based its “stagnant” claim partly on the Partnership for New York City’s supposed finding that only “57% of Manhattan office workers had returned on the average workday.”

That — like many similar off-base readings of data — made it sound as if Manhattan offices that were full before 2020 are now barely more than half full.

What the Partnership actually said in March was that 57% of workers in offices at the time “equates to 76% of respondents’ pre-pandemic attendance.” --->READ MORE HERE

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How return-to-office policies are shaping employee mental health:

How return-to-office policies are shaping employee mental health

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people work in lasting ways. One of the biggest shifts was the jump in remote work. In 2019, about 9 million people in the U.S. worked from home most of the time. By 2021, that number had climbed to nearly 28 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Working from home came with major upsides: more flexibility, no commute, and better control over daily schedules. But it also had downsides. Some workers felt more isolated, as noted by digital mental health platform Counslr. With no clear line between work and personal life, people often put in longer hours and found it hard to switch off.

Now that the pandemic has eased, more companies want employees back in the office. Business Insider reports that about one-third of U.S. firms now require people to work on-site full time. These return-to-office policies have sparked new conversations about mental health, as workers weigh the loss of flexibility against the benefits of in-person connection.

In this article, Wysa explores the impact of return-to-office policies on mental well-being. The story will break down the pros and cons of different work arrangements and offer strategies to help both employers and employees navigate this transition in a healthier, more thoughtful way.