Will Return To Office (RTO) mandates for employees wreck or improve employee engagement, and what does this mean for company culture in the future?
Will Return to Office (RTO) Mandates Wreck or Improve Employee Engagement?
The debate around Return to Office (RTO) mandates is heating up. On one side, you’ve got corporate giants like JP Morgan, Amazon, The Washington Post, and WPP calling their troops back to their desks. On the other, companies like Spotify are crooning a different tune, championing remote work as a permanent legacy of the pandemic. Who’s right? And what does this tug-of-war mean for the future of company culture and employee engagement? Let’s unpack it.
The Case Against Return To Office Mandates
The backlash against RTO mandates is real. Employees, after two-plus years of proving they can deliver from their living rooms, are questioning the necessity of a daily commute. And for good reason:
- Employee Engagement at Risk: Gallup’s report on hybrid work suggests that forced office returns can erode employee engagement, leading to higher absenteeism, lower productivity, and plummeting staff retention rates. Not ideal when companies are already struggling to hold onto talent.
- Work-Life Balance: Remote work has been a game-changer for many, enabling people to better balance personal and professional responsibilities. RTO mandates risk undoing these gains, potentially leaving employees resentful and disengaged.
- The Flexibility Factor: According to Buffer’s State of Remote Work report, 97% of workers want flexibility in where they work. Forcing people back into the office feels less like a collaborative boost and more like a step back into the 9-to-5 rigidity of yesteryear.
Spotify’s approach—“Work From Anywhere”—is a case study in how to foster trust and autonomy. The company’s retention rates and employee satisfaction scores speak volumes, suggesting that remote work isn’t just a nice-to-have but a key driver of engagement and loyalty.
The Case For Return To Office Mandates
That said, it’s not all doom and gloom for RTO. For many companies, having employees physically present is about more than just tradition—it’s strategic:
- Collaboration and Innovation: Some leaders argue that in-person interactions foster creativity and innovation in ways that virtual meetings simply can’t. The serendipitous water-cooler moments? Hard to replicate over Slack.
- Cultural Cohesion: Company culture thrives on shared experiences. For firms like JP Morgan, the office is a crucible for mentoring, teamwork, and camaraderie—elements they believe can’t be fully cultivated through Zoom.
- Management’s Prerogative: Let’s face it—running a business isn’t a democracy. Some leaders feel that RTO is a “necessary evil,” a way to ensure alignment, oversight, and consistent performance.
- The Silent Quitter Problem: Gallup’s findings on quiet quitting—where employees disengage without formally leaving—underscore the risks of remote work. Some managers feel that RTO helps identify and re-engage under-performers.
The Impact on Company Culture from a Return To Office Mandate
Whether Return To Office mandates help or harm company culture ultimately depends on execution. A forced, one-size-fits-all approach risks alienating employees and creating a great divide between leadership and the workforce. On the flip side, a well-communicated, flexible RTO policy could reinforce shared goals and cohesion.
Potential Fallout:
- Employee-Employer Divide: Mandates can foster resentment, creating an “us vs. them” mentality. Employees who value flexibility may see RTO as an outdated power move.
- Diversity and Inclusion: For workers with caregiving responsibilities or disabilities, RTO mandates may disproportionately affect their ability to thrive, undermining DEI efforts.
- Coffee Badging: Refers to the toxic practice of employees clocking in for a brief period at the office, typically long enough to grab a coffee, before departing to work from elsewhere. This is done to fulfill office attendance requirements by hybrid and remote workers which arose following the return to in-person work following the Pandemic.
Positive Outcomes:
- Reconnection: Teams may benefit from face-to-face interactions that rebuild relationships and align goals.
- Accountability: For some roles, proximity can enhance accountability and collaboration, strengthening team dynamics.
- Company Culture: A RTO rollout done well can enhance company culture, giving employees a stronger feeling of being Appreciated.
The Road Ahead
So, will RTO mandates wreck or improve employee engagement? The answer isn’t clear-cut. What’s evident, however, is that the future of work demands flexibility—both from employees and employers.
Forward-thinking companies might consider hybrid models that offer the best of both worlds. Spotify’s approach, while bold, shows that betting on autonomy and trust can pay dividends. Meanwhile, businesses choosing RTO need to back their decision with clear communication, employee engagement support, and tangible benefits that make the commute worth it.
In the end, the debate isn’t just about where people work. It’s about how work gets done and whether the culture nurtures engagement, creativity, and connection—wherever the office might be.