Maria Caspani & Elizabeth Dilts Marshall

NEW YORK(Reuters) – While news of the Omicron coronavirus variant threatens to derail U.S. companies’ return-to-office-plans, employers trying to get workers back into offices said they are encountering a different, unforeseen challenge: keeping the lights on.

Microchip and building material shortages have been widely reported due to disruptions in the global supply chain, such as factory shut downs in Asia and congestion at U.S ports. This is causing shortages everywhere you need office supplies like printer ink and paper, as well as toner and paper.

Sara Becker, an anthropology professor, noticed that several of the bulbs she had used remotely over eight months. She returned to her Riverside office in November. Becker was approached by her assistant to request replacements. Becker was also asked about the percentage of bulbs that were in her office.

“I am an anthropologist, not a mathematician!” Becker made a joke on Twitter (NYSE :). Becker claimed in an email interview she didn’t count bulbs and instead sent pictures of her darkened workspace to the facilities team. John Warren, University spokesperson said that they were short of lamps and lighting materials.

Supply issues can lead to workplace headaches and are a problem for both workers as well as offices.

Companies have had to delay opening dates for employees due to coronavirus variants, like Delta. Omicron, which was first discovered in the United States Wednesday afternoon, could delay office openings.

It is now taking 8 to 13 weeks for general lighting supply, as Cheryl Carron explained. She also heads facilities management at Jones Lang LaSalle.

Carron told us in an interview, “It is a significant challenge when we look at ways we bring people back into work.” We take it for granted that this is a critical and important need.

All over the world, companies have raised concerns about supply problems that have led to higher prices for raw materials like steel and chemicals. This concern was a dominant theme in the earnings season. Chief executives referred to it 412% more often than usual.

U.S. customs data indicated that incandescent lamp imports for glass bulbs fell 25% in the four-quarter of 2020 to this quarter. That is when supply chain issues began to impact supplies. While imports have recovered, they are still far below the pre-pandemic level. The majority of America’s incandescent bulb imports come from Taiwan.

Lightbulbs are not the only thing in shortage. A source at one big retail bank, who spoke under anonymity, stated that replacement parts were available for heating and cooling units throughout its branch network.

Gerry Smith is the chief executive of ODP Corp, which owns the company. Office Depot (NASDAQ;) OfficeMax Superstore Chains, stated that they expect a shortage in ink- and toner up until the beginning of next year. According to Reuters, a Midwestern law firm requested staff to reduce their printing due to paper shortages. A request for comment was not received by the law firm immediately.

Peter Lorenz, director of facilities and office operations at law firm Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, said they also experienced paper shortages and delays in obtaining lightbulbs at the firm’s New York City office, a 360,000-square-foot (33,445-square-meter) space that used to be occupied by about 500 employees before the pandemic.

Since mid-October supplies are back on the rise as workers return to the office in hybrid work models, where they alternate between working at home or in an office.

He said that a number of suppliers had “bulked up” so they now have an adequate inventory.

Carron from Jones Lang LaSalle stated that there was a silver lining in the facilities management problems. This is because of the lessons learned by building managers last year due to pandemic-triggered shortages.

“They’ve got toilet papers,” she joked.