Employees are resisting companies' calls to return to physical offices, with some expressing a preference for remote work due to their desire to avoid direct interactions with their supervisors, a recent survey has revealed. 

Flexible workspace and co-working brand, Beyond, conducted an exclusive survey in partnership with Business Insider. The survey, involving 1,262 full-time and part-time employees in the UK, took place between October 13-18 last year. It aimed to identify the factors deterring employees from returning to office spaces. 

Participants responded to various statements presented by Opinium, a polling agency, gauging their agreement or disagreement. These statements included scenarios such as "My manager/boss being in the office puts me off from commuting in more regularly." The findings from Beyond indicated that 30% of respondents affirmed that they would consider visiting the office more frequently if their superiors were not physically present there.

Two-thirds of respondents pointed to the escalating cost of living in the UK, expressing a desire to work remotely as a means to save money. Additionally, 54% of those surveyed acknowledged that a better office location, closer to home or more suitable to their preferences, would encourage them to visit the office more frequently. 

Furthermore, 38% expressed a wish for an improved standard in their workspace, while 30% of hybrid workers voiced dissatisfaction with their companies' failure to provide their preferred working arrangements. 

The growing tension between managers advocating for a return to the office and employees advocating for continued remote work has intensified since economies reopened post-pandemic. This tension has prompted workers to potentially avoid direct interactions with their bosses. 

Several prominent companies, including Elon Musk's X and major tech firms like Meta and Google, have implemented return-to-office mandates. However, such directives have often met resistance and dismay from employees.