Just when we believed that remote work was going to be a permanent fixture, reports surfaced about prominent companies requesting their employees to return to the office. Initially, this appeared confined to certain sectors, but now, a growing number of organizations are publicly rationalizing their need for in-person work.
Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, the parent company of Facebook, indicated in a statement from March that employees present in the office, or those who shifted to remote work after being onsite, were surpassing those who began their roles as remote workers. Based on this information, he is urging his team to “discover more chances to collaborate with colleagues in person.”
In a similar vein, Howard Schultz, the founder and former CEO of Starbucks, issued a message in January entitled “Message to Starbucks support partners: Returning to each other and to the office.” He stated, “They are asking us to engage in the transformative work that I believe can only be effectively accomplished when we are physically present together—initiating the kind of thinking, bold collaboration, and heartfelt discussions that cannot occur via Teams calls, mere prescheduled meetings, or simply as transactions. Partners, it’s time for us to return to the office—to conduct this essential work face-to-face and in person.”
Indeed, the prevalence of workplaces requiring in-person attendance is on the rise. As reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on March 22, 2023, nearly three-quarters of businesses had either minimal or no remote workers in August and September of 2022. In contrast, slightly over 60% of businesses reported little to no remote employees the previous year.
Experts are now weighing in on the diminishing trend of remote work and how the return to office culture is unfolding for business leaders.
Is working in an office an attempt to regain control?
For some executives, the period following 2020 has felt like a whirlwind of chaos. The return to in-person work could be seen as an effort to regain a sense of control, as noted by Jenn Lim, CEO and co-founder of Delivering Happiness, and bestselling author of Beyond Happiness.
Other CEOs have made their stance on remote work unmistakable—Reed Hastings, executive chairman of Netflix, expressed he didn’t “see any benefits” to employees working from home. Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, commented that “It doesn’t cater to young children, spontaneity, or management,” while also acknowledging that “There are jobs where it makes sense”—citing remote work as a support for female employees due to the substantial burden they bear for caregiving responsibilities, as highlighted by COVID-19.
Lim also mentions Elon Musk, CEO of Twitter and Tesla, who believes employees are simply feigning productivity: “He abruptly terminated Twitter’s work-from-anywhere policy with a late-night email, then reversed his decision, closing Twitter’s Seattle and Singapore offices while favoring a remote workforce.”
“Over the past three years, we’ve encountered significant uncertainty and a loss of control. People are longing for methods to reclaim control in areas they can. This factor, in conjunction with the flexibility and independence gained during and after the pandemic, contributes to the strong resistance against return-to-office (RTO) mandates,” Lim explains. However, she emphasizes that without clear reasoning and communication, genuine buy-in will be challenging to achieve.
She observes that RTO mandates are becoming more prevalent in the tech sector, where several firms are rolling back their “work from anywhere” policies from the pandemic for either some or all employees. Moreover, she notes these mandates often arise as a reaction to an uncertain economy and a slowdown in growth.
Maintaining flexibility in office work versus remote work
The responsibility seems to lie with previously remote organizations to persuade employees, who greatly favor flexible work options, that there is a genuine incentive to return in person. For Mo Katibeh, president and COO of RingCentral, discussions began in 2022 when the company started contemplating a hybrid model after employees expressed their queries.
“Feedback from division leaders indicated that some individuals missed in-person strategy discussions, newly hired employees desired more mentorship opportunities, and certain strategic business functions could benefit from occasional face-to-face meetings,” he notes. Consequently, they first transitioned to a hybrid model that required three days in the office, but this soon highlighted “administrative challenges.”
“Life happens. Vacations occur, minor emergencies arise, and illnesses happen, etc. Managing for three days resulted in a loss of time for managers who had to comprehend and explain any variations,” he remarks. An employee survey indicated that half of their full-time staff view flexible work as one of the most significant perks, deterring leaders from mandating a complete return.
Currently, their return-to-office policy consists of a quarterly quota. Each employee must be present in the office for 30 days each quarter, with business travel also counting as an in-person day.
“So far, the policy has been positively received by the team. Our hub locations are buzzing with energy again—it’s thrilling! Managing and implementing it has been simpler, and it restores what employees mentioned they missed most—autonomy and flexibility, alongside collaboration and efficiency,” he observes. Witnessing employees forge bonds adds new significance to “water cooler talk,” which he explains is truly beneficial for the workplace atmosphere at his company. “Workers feel supported by their colleagues and employers.”
Transforming dread into enthusiasm about reuniting
The collective sigh of your team can be almost palpable during a Zoom call if you hint at ending remote work. Jennifer Buonantony, CEO and editor-in-chief of Press Pass LA and founder of PPLA Social + PR, sensed a blend of “hesitation and enthusiasm” when she informed her press agency team that they would be returning to the office a few days per week after working remotely since the pandemic began.
“I sensed that some employees were not thrilled about the prospect of commuting, dealing with traffic, or dressing for work instead of enjoying the comfort of their homes. On the other hand, they were eager to reconnect, solve problems together, and have designated spaces for meetings and events,” she explains.
For her, the return to in-person requirements stemmed from a desire for human connection and the need to train new hires face-to-face. “Working in isolation indefinitely can also be quite challenging,” she comments, stressing that personal engagement is essential for building camaraderie. Moreover, she believes it is beneficial to give less experienced team members more exposure to senior staff, facilitating easier social interactions at work, particularly for brainstorming sessions.
Obstacles in transitioning back to in-person work
The first hurdle for Buonantony’s team was punctuality. Everyone had to work through rearranging family schedules and accounting for commute times. “There were requests to leave early or take longer breaks,” she states, although eventually, everyone adapted.
The next challenge was remembering how to interact as coworkers and adjust to a new environment. “Before the pandemic, we operated from a conventional office. Now, we work from a house, which offers different advantages and distractions. There are no assigned desks, and we have more outdoor space and areas for photoshoots and video content, but we also have larger communal rooms,” she remarks. “We also had to reacquaint ourselves with collaborating with others—some individuals thrive with music, some prefer silence, some want to eat lunch alone, while others prefer the company.”
In her field, she envisions a continual need for office work while simultaneously permitting clients some flexibility in virtual options. “In-person interactions are essential for events and interviews/tapings! While virtual platforms like Zoom were lifesavers during the pandemic, nothing can replace the energy of face-to-face communication.”
Strategies for maintaining employee satisfaction while returning to in-office work
If you are aware that your team would benefit from returning to in-person work or adopting a hybrid model, there are several pragmatic strategies you can employ to enhance buy-in and transform the experience into a positive one. Lim recommends:
- Clarifying the reasoning behind the decision. This may involve data showcasing how in-person work could lead to improved profits, alongside employee satisfaction surveys reflecting a desire to work in person.
- Focusing on your specific team over broader industry trends. “A one-size-fits-all approach to work doesn’t exist. What suits some industries, companies, and individuals may not be applicable to others,” she emphasizes.
- Deliberately planning in-person engagements. This ensures that time spent in the office is meaningful rather than seen as a burden.
- Testing the approach and soliciting feedback. “Acknowledgment that each company and its various segments must listen, experiment, and adjust is vital for implementing effective systems of support,” she states.
Lastly, think creatively about options that might cater to your company’s specific requirements, as RingCentral has done. “We take pride in having thought innovatively to create a hybrid framework that resonates with our team’s feedback,” Katibeh shares. “In my view, this is the future of how America will approach returning to work.”
