Some companies are starting to make plans to have employees return to the office, and with that comes a lot of changes.
Experts predict there will be a wave of resignations once people have to come back. That's for two reasons.
First, some people may just not feel comfortable returning to the office. They would rather leave their current job and find a new one. Another reason is there's currently a backlog of resignations.
“During the pandemic, a lot of individuals have done a lot of soul searching, a lot of thinking about what they want to do in life, and maybe have come to the conclusion that their current work context is not conducive as to what they want to accomplish in their life, so they’re pursuing different things,” said Anthony Klotz, associate professor of management at Texas A&M University.
Klotz says there may also be resignations after people return to the office and that's because it may be disappointing in seeing the office setting just isn't the same anymore.
Klotz says if you do plan to leave your job, think about why you're doing it. If your main reason for leaving is because you'd rather work from home, Klotz suggests testing the waters first.
“It may be worth giving it a try, and you realize ‘this isn’t as bad as I thought it was and I actually enjoy it.’ Or it’s actually really nice to get some separation between my personal life and my professional life, which I haven’t had for the past year,” said Klotz.
If you do decide that quitting is the best choice, then make sure you leave on a positive note.
It is possible that companies will make changes after they return to the office and maybe remote becomes an option again.
It's also possible that your company is willing to make changes to keep employees, so be ready to negotiate.