Why forcing employees back to the office hurts mental health
Before the pandemic hit, I never considered working from home. I never knew it was even possible.
Sept 25, 2025
By Aviva Boxer, Registered Psychotherapist
At the beginning of the pandemic I was a section editor of a daily newspaper that required a staff to put it together. This included writers, reporters, copy editors, designers, paginators, printers and me. I was the manager in charge who was there to support, facilitate, collaborate with the staff and liaise with the higher-ups to make sure we were on track, following our mandate and giving readers newsy content that was meaningful to them and that would help them in their lives. At the time, this job was all about being there and talking to people, in one huge space that was the newsroom, now a thing of the past. There was no way I could do all of this and be so connected with everyone and also do it from home — or so I thought. At the time, we didn’t have the technology to work anywhere other than in the office, and I believed (as did everyone around me) that if we were not there together we would miss out on that secret sauce of being in the same room, sharing that energy and coming up with the best ideas
“The time flexibility made a huge difference in our lives and definitely made us better employees.”
At the same time work was hectic and intense, so was the rest of my life.
Throughout the course of that job, I got married and had three kids, navigated daycare drop-offs and pick-ups with my husband who was also a journalist at the time, and there were many days when we would be racing to our kids’ daycare to make it by 6 p.m., which was the cut off time to pick up our kids. We would get home exhausted and then make dinner, do bath time and put the kids to bed and then fall into bed ourselves only to do it all over again the next day. When the kids were older, we were rushing to extra-curricular activities in the evenings, which was the only time we were available, and loading up our weekends with tasks such as groceries, more activities, cleaning and cooking. There was not a lot of fun or down time or even quality family time when we could just enjoy each other’s company and be together.
And then the pandemic happened. Suddenly we were all at home together all day and all evening. No rushing to get everyone out the door on time, no rushing to make dinner, no rushing to activities, no stressful juggling to make it all work.
Ideas and creativity flowed and the work got done.
At work, within a few days of lockdown starting, all staff were set up at home with their double monitors, suddenly learning how to navigate Slack and Teams, finding ways to manage it all and get the job done. Online meetings were awkward at first but then they became second nature. Meetings with staff were in small groups or one on one online and a lot more focused and productive than they had ever been in person.
Out of the blue, the harried temperature of life came way down to something resembling peace and enjoyment for the first time ever in our lives.
It felt like balance even though work was intense and it was easier to put dinner on or a load of laundry on during a short break, and then just get back to work, which had us working longer hours at home than we had when we were in person in an office. But the time flexibility made a huge difference in our lives and definitely made us better employees. For me there was no going back. This was the life I never knew I needed. I have since left that job of course and now revel in working from home, seeing clients virtually from my attic office.
Return to work mandates? They aren’t employee-friendly policies.
Recently the topic of companies forcing their employees back to work has come up a lot with my clients. The back to work edict is affecting employees from all walks of life and in all situations - two-parent and single-parent families, single people, able bodied people and people with disabilities, people caring for elderly parents. It is messing up childcare, often adding a stressful commute to the day, and taking away the freedom, flexibility and peace that working from home offers.
From my perspective and from what I hear from my clients, Banks and other companies as well as the Federal and Ontario governments making employees return to an office building has little to do with the mental health and well being of those employees and more to do with filling empty buildings with people who will spend money while they are there. This is about the economy and optics rather than people who do the work. Many of my clients who are dealing with this reality and frustrated and defeated by being forced back to work, remark that their colleagues are not even at the office to meet with and that they are still having virtual meetings with their bosses and teams while sitting in a cubicle.
If employee well-being was truly the focus, people would have a choice.
And having choice and control of one’s own destiny is a huge factor in happiness, agency and yes, productivity. Happy and well-supported employees do a better job. Employees are already stressed by dealing with a high cost of living and wages that don’t keep up. Forcing employees back to the office is such a backwards move and will surely only add to company and government costs of more sick days and mental health days needed to cope with the extra pressure this will put on individuals and families.
If you’re struggling with navigating your work life and personal life or you’re being forced back into the office, consider connecting with a therapist. Having a compassionate professional to help you chart these choppy waters can make a huge difference. You can connect with us online to book a free consultation and match up with a therapist who will be your partner and guide every step of the way.