A recently published study by economists at the University of Essex and the University of Chicago shows for the first time that our ongoing post-pandemic home office culture is hampering innovation.

“Innovations often arise from random, spontaneous conversations between employees at the water cooler,” wrote lead researcher Dr. Christoph Siemroth. “Such ‘productive accidents’ happen less often when all employees work from home. … We find that innovation suffers under remote work.”

But I think I speak for the majority of the working population when I say: Nonsense! Innovation is a problem for rich entrepreneurs, not their employees.

Until now, I would have fought tooth and nail to avoid returning to my fluorescent chipboard prison.

Like millions of other Americans, I left the office two years ago to work from home full-time. The freedom was incredible. Not only did I eliminate my hour-and-a-half subway commute, but I could now be comfortable. I could go wild in the nude. I could write emails from a lounger at the resort. I could work efficiently without distracting conversations with annoying coworkers.

At first I half-heartedly tried to set up a home office – but it remained unused. Call me a snob, but nothing looks more out of place in the well-furnished apartment than an ergonomic Aeron chair.

But like any act of sustained hedonism, my indulgent work habits caught up with me.

For weeks I had been suffering from a strong tingling sensation that started in my right shoulder and extended to my fingertips. Last week I finally dragged myself into my physiotherapist’s office and after a short conversation he was not surprised by my condition.

“What does your workspace look like?” was his first question. I had to admit that it was my thick leather couch, and just as often my bed. “The guy who was there before you has the same injury,” he said.

X-rays confirmed his prognosis. I was diagnosed with “disc and uncovertebral joint disease,” which my doctor kindly translated as “wear and tear” from sitting hunched over my laptop. The doctor’s orders: back to the office or go under the surgeon’s knife before my 40th birthday. A large portion of the American workforce will probably share my fate.

Since the start of the pandemic through 2021, the number of people working primarily from home has increased from 9 million to nearly 28 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But the latest statistics show that the fabled “return to the office” just isn’t happening, despite employers’ demands.

“The share of workers who worked at home on workdays was about the same in 2023 (35%) as in 2022 (34%),” according to a survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released in late June.

This is a dangerous situation for both employees and employers because while the highly regulated office environment is one of the safest places to work, ironically, the home is one of the most dangerous.

Unlike clean, open-plan offices where fire alarms are regularly tested and occupancy permits are issued, private homes are often cramped spaces full of tripping hazards, pets and other dangers – not to mention seating that doesn’t provide enough support.

If your dog bites you or you trip over the cable of your MacBook – and you are working during working hours – this can be considered an accident at work and put your employer at risk.

But your legitimate injury from working from home may not be proven without an eyewitness account from working in a public place.

The good news is that there’s never been a better time to return to the office. With vacancy rates near 40% in New York City, it’s a buyer’s market (or should I say, a worker’s market).

To compete for your seat, building owners are going all out and turning their offices into luxurious hotel-like playpens – with spas and even pools. The miserable office cubicle will soon go the same way as the Blackberry.

Whether or not you care about the “innovation” that lines your boss’s pockets while wage growth stagnates, go back to the office – and do it for yourself.

Home may be the heart, but it is the worst and most dangerous place to work.