Sanjay Rishi, Americas CEO of Work Dynamics at JLL, is the latest workplace expert to assure office owners that the workplace hasn't suddenly become obsolete—but he tells GlobeSt.com that it has changed. People want to go back to work and preserve the flexibility that they gained during the pandemic, and organizations are accommodating those needs.

"People like the idea of flexibility," Rishi says. "People have proven to themselves that they can operate remotely. In our surveys, 90% of people say that they don't want to get back to an environment that is five days a week at work—but 80% say that they do want to get back to work at least some days during the week."

There are an amalgam of reasons why workers are asking for both lifestyles. Many want to return to the office because their homes don't provide enough space for full-time work. Others miss the mentoring, collaboration and growth opportunities that come more easily and readily with face-to-face interaction. Demographics are also playing a role. Rishi has found that parents and single-parents are often more anxious to get back into the workspace.