Federal workers divided over return-to-office requirement

Federal workers are split over a mandate requiring them to return to the office full-time. A recent Washington Post-Ipsos poll shows about 49% support the return-to-office rule while 50% oppose it. Among those who can work from home, 85% disagree with the mandate. In contrast, 70% of employees who cannot work remotely back the rule. Many workers are facing challenges as they return to their offices. Reports show that some buildings do not have enough desk space. Employees find themselves working in conference rooms or even hallways while waiting for available desks. To resolve space disputes, some supervisors have flipped coins. In some cases, workers returned to find their office leases had been canceled. One anonymous employee expressed frustration about being ordered back to the office after teleworking since the pandemic began. He indicated that he may retire early due to the stress of the new mandate. The poll also highlights that 37% of federal employees believe they can perform their jobs from home, and this number rises to 46% if U.S. Postal Service workers are excluded. The survey also revealed that 57% of federal workers believe that many of the executive orders from the Trump administration are illegal. Workers worry about the government's effectiveness if many employees are let go. Interestingly, even among Trump supporters, less than half believe he can help their agencies. Another employee described negative changes after the return-to-office requirement. She mentioned that her workplace, which had allowed telework before, was not prepared for the influx of employees. Many workers now have to share desks and struggle with limited food options nearby. As a result of these challenges, some workers are considering changing jobs. A supervisor from the Transportation Security Administration noted that many of his colleagues left rather than return to full-time work, which has increased everyone's workload. He, too, is now looking for other career opportunities. The poll was conducted from February 28 to March 10, 2025, with a margin of error of about 5%.