The research called these challenges “workplace friction,” and said the time lost can cost an average midsized company about $9 million a year. Almost half (47%) of employees surveyed said workplace friction was “a significant drag on their day-to-day productivity,” and 60% of workplace operations professionals said the problem had increased over the past year. Meanwhile, just 12% of workplace operations professionals said the friction had declined. The study estimated that annual losses due to the resulting workplace friction can be as much as $14,000 per worker. A 2025 Gallup poll found that hybrid work has leveled out since the end of 2022.