The boom in hybrid working conditions is a result of extraordinary circumstances. Some companies pivoted to hybrid during lockdown to reduce social proximity without closing down altogether, and have elected to keep it going; others went fully remote and have scaled back up to hybrid as the ‘best of both worlds.’ In the best cases, hybrid is a popular solution that energizes employees in their work and facilitates a healthier work-life balance.
But with little preparation or track history to go on, many businesses are struggling to incorporate the best of either world. Nobody’s sure who or what to expect at the office. Changing daily from office to WFH and back again deprives workers of rhythm and consistency. And flexibility can create confusion and even guilt feelings. In one survey, 80% of HR departments said that hybrid work is exhausting workers.
Still, the office/WFH hybrid is working for many. With conditions varying between homes, offices, and regions, Brother UK decided to find out which areas of the UK and the U.S. are reporting the highest stress levels due to hybrid work, and which are taking it in their stride.
Key Findings
- Bolton is the UK city that’s most stressed about hybrid work, with 35.5% of relevant tweets exhibiting stress.
- The London borough most stressed with hybrid work is Lambeth, with a 42.9% stress rate.
- Alaska has a 31.3% stress rate for hybrid work, higher than any other U.S. state.
- Oakland, CA, is the most-stressed U.S. city for hybrid work (31.0%).
