Have you been ‘desk bombed’ at work? Probably!

A new LinkedIn study took a look at some interesting office trends as hybrid work and connectivity continue to reshape people’s relationships with the physical workplace.

Most notably, 62% of Australians agree that not being physically present in the office would not be harmful for their career. The benefits of going into the office appear to be, for staff at least, social.

Their main reasons for heading into the office are social interactions (38%), building relationships (36%) and more efficient face-to-face meetings with co-workers (34%).

While everybody’s hybrid setups are different, some patterns seem to be emerging across the workforce. Friday appears to be the most unpopular day to go into the office, 54% say ‘Thursday is the new Friday’, a sentiment which LinkedIn says may stem from the fact Friday is the day they tend to go into the office the least.

So what are some of the social trends that make going into the office easier to bear? One trend mentioned in LinkedIn’s research is desk bombing. Half of the respondents in Australia see desk bombing as a great way to have impromptu conversations. What is it? “The act of dropping by your colleague’s desk unannounced.”

So if you’ve ever worked in an office pre-pandemic or indeed in the last few years, too, we’re guessing you’ve experienced it. But you probably didn’t know it was called desk bombing. Gen X office workers loved it the most, perhaps unsurprising as they’ve had the most experience with physical office camaraderie — they were doing it before it even had a name! — with 54% enjoying a drop-by chat from a colleague. Millennials (53%) and gen Z workers (49%) don’t mind it either.

But our new world of connectivity has provided alternatives to some of the social interactions of the office. With fewer days being spent in the office, 43% of workers are using workplace apps to replace the in-person catch-up.

But if business managers are using a more connected and fun culture as an incentive to increase office appearance requirements, they should consider their team through a more diverse lens. In a chat with SmartCompany, DEI consultant Winitha Bonney said “I don’t think creating a culture is justifiable”.

“For example, people who are neurodivergent, or have accessibility requirements, their preference might actually be to work at home,” Bonney said.

Cayla Dengate, a careers expert at LinkedIn, said “managers and culture leaders need to be utilising the power that is in-person contact. Creating exciting moments for employees is key.”

Using team building exercises, team lunches and workplace events as examples, Dengate said “little moments such as this can make a world of difference in driving engagement and ensuring employee retention.”