Workers excited to return to the office over Christmas period

• Over half of workers (54%) say they are excited to be back in the office this festive season after two years of disruption due to COVID, with nearly two thirds of people (64%) appreciating the festive cheer in the office even more after the pandemic

• Tucking into treats, decorating desks, wearing festive jumpers, and catching up with colleagues ahead of the break are all among the best things about the office at Christmas time

• More than half (53%) of office workers say they love sharing festive cheer with colleagues and a similar number (51%) love the feeling of their workplace at this time of year

With the Christmas period in full swing, new research by Mitie* has revealed that over half (54%) of office workers are excited to be back in the office over the festive period this year following two years of disruption due to Covid-19. Nearly two thirds (64%) say they appreciate the festive cheer in the office even more this year following the pandemic.

More than half (53%) of people surveyed said that they love being in the office to share festive cheer with their colleagues, with a similar number (51%) loving the feeling of their workplace at this time of year. One in five (19%) office workers said they prefer being in the office over working from home during the festive season due to the general good mood and almost two thirds (62%) feel in a better mood at work when it gets near to Christmas.

It also emerged that a third (34%) of those not currently spending five days a week in the office would be tempted to commute in more to enjoy the festivities. Tucking into treats, decorating desks, wearing festive jumpers, and catching up with colleagues ahead of the break were all listed among the best things about the office at Christmastime.

For office workers not commuting in over the Christmas period, the festive atmosphere and Christmas food are the things that they feel they’d miss out on most. People who do commute in say that they enjoy learning about other people’s cultures around Christmas and listening to festive music while working.

The research also showed that office workers see the Christmas season as a good opportunity to bond and spend time with colleagues at work, with three fifths (61%) of people surveyed agreeing that spending time in the office at this time of year is a key way to bring colleagues together. With nearly half (46%) of people describing their workmates as friends, it’s unsurprising that the research also showed that nearly two fifths (38%) of people think it’s more important to spend time with their colleagues at Christmas, than friends and family.

Simon Venn, Chief Government & Strategy Officer and Managing Director, Technical Services, Mitie, said:

“The pandemic gave workers a chance to reassess how much time they spend in the workplace, but with Christmas around the corner, it’s hard to resist the festive spirit the office offers. It’s great to see so many people enjoy being with colleagues in the office to celebrate the festivities. It shows that having a fulfilling work life is as much about having time to come together with colleagues, as the day-to-day role.

“It’s no wonder people love being at work in December when there’s so much festive atmosphere in the office at this time of year. It’s clear that many workers still want the option to work from offices, especially during the Christmas period. Spending this time together as a team really helps build those all-important colleague relationships.”

* Survey of 2,000 British office workers, undertaken by OnePoll in December 2022.