The number is expected to grow as more people get vaccinated. Per data released on March 29, 24.2 percent of employees in 10 big cities throughout the United States were going into their offices, according to Kastle Systems, a managed security services provider for 3,600 buildings throughout the country. Many companies have already welcomed workers back. 'I could not get my attention to focus, because I'm so used to a quiet place now that a little bit of noise - even though it wasn't that loud - took me out.' Why vaccines won't take away all the anxiety 'The other day, I was in the office, and one of the attorneys was talking to me, and the printer was running, and there were all of these background noises happening,' she said. Her visits to work have felt overstimulating compared to the solitude of working in her bedroom. Like Layne-Lomon, Dales recently made several trips back to her office, but she does not know when - or whether - she will be expected to return on a regular basis.

Not driving into work has saved her mileage on her car and money on gas, and it has given her the opportunity to schedule doctors' and dentists' appointments more easily after work, as well as take her dog for a walk on her lunch break. 'I just feel like I can take care of myself better and have the ability to,' said Brittney Dales, 27, a legal secretary who lives in San Bernardino, California.

But for those who have, the ability to throw in a load of laundry while they work, spend more time with family or make more home-cooked meals have been silver linings in an otherwise challenging year. Not everyone has had the luxury of working from home. 'Now we're at this point where it's like, 'I've lost a lot this year, but what have I gained?' I think, in particular when it comes to work, there's been a lot of gains.' 'We focused a lot on what has been lost this last year,' said Vaile Wright, a clinical psychologist and the senior director of health care innovation at the American Psychological Association. With concerns from health to rusty social skills to preserving the new work-life balance that some discovered when their commutes disappeared, many are reluctant to give up their remote work setups. 'It was like: 'Hey, look at us, we're all still people! We're not just these little machines!''Īs office spaces that the pandemic shuttered begin opening back up, not every employee is eager to return. 'It was nice to see them and have that social moment and breath of relief,' she said, adding that she had to stop herself from greeting her colleagues with hugs. Two co-workers with whom she had communicated only virtually since the pandemic started were there. Inside her building, everyone wore masks, elevators had capacity limits to allow for social distancing, and traffic flow signs had been posted to reduce crowding in corridors.īut when she arrived on her floor, Layne-Lomon saw a familiar sight. Layne-Lomon is not yet eligible for a Covid-19 vaccination, so instead of taking public transportation like she used to, she opted to drive to work.

Office building inside cubicles