Years into the great hybrid work experiment, many firms worry it just isn’t delivering the goods.

Boosting productivity is one of the top three reasons employers are encouraging people to work from the office, recent JLL research found. They feel it’s needed to maximize collaboration and innovation.

“Employers associate on-site work with major benefits such as social connection and cultural bonds,” says Flore Pradere, Global Work Dynamics Research Director. “They see it as a significant contributor to employee performance.”

But there are conflicting issues from an employee standpoint. Almost half the workforce believes they’re more productive at home.

“Office noise and lack of privacy are significant problems, discouraging many employees from returning,” says Pradere. “People say they simply can’t concentrate and it’s affecting their work.”

The answer, then, is that more work is needed to bring expectations closer together. A big part of it will be creating offices that deliver what’s needed for a hybrid workforce. Pradere suggests office use data and human-centred design are key to cracking the performance code.