Returning to the Office Sparks Anxiety and Dread for Some

A year after the pandemic abruptly forced tens of millions of people to start working from home, disrupting family lives and derailing careers, employers are now getting ready to bring workers back to offices. But for some people the prospect of returning to their desks is provoking anxiety, dread and even panic, rather than relief. Amy C. Edmondson, a Harvard Business School professor who studies human interaction, has been advising financial firms, consumer products businesses and universities. She said many executives were spooked that they’ll lose their best people if they are not flexible. But she said some managers might now be going too far. Teams need to get together to get stuff done.