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Did you know?
- According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 35% of employed people in the U.S. handled some or all of their work at home on their workdays while 73% handled some or all of their work at their workplace.
- A survey by Checkr last year found that 56% of managers consider it a red flag if employees are keenly against coming back to the office, while the same feeling is echoed by just 38% of the employees.
- In Europe and Asia, workers are back in the office more often and consistently than their counterparts in the U.S.
With tech giants and many others like Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, SpaceX, and Zoom using return-to-office (RTO) mandates to ensure their staff is present in the office for specific days, a debate is brewing about what the impact would be on their workforce. Some employers have already experienced a backlash to their RTO mandates.
Amazon faced backlash from its employees when 30,000+ of its employees signed a petition to oppose the company’s move to bring employees back to the workplace. However, the tech giant responded by blocking promotions for non-compliant staff and implementing mandatory relocation for some other employees. A significant 50% of the workforce of Grindr (a dating app) quit after the company mandated that all workers must come to the office twice a week.
If you are unsure which side you stand on, the following arguments can help you decide.
Proponents of RTO Mandates
1. Boosts Business Innovation, Collaboration, and Culture
According to the Allen Curve, communication declines drastically as the distance between desks increases. For business innovation and collaboration, several employers emphasise the importance of physical proximity among their employees, which they say is key to their RTO mandates.
In-person brainstorming, debates, mentoring, networking, and discussions also foster teamwork and company culture that can be hard to replicate remotely.
2. Visibility Equals Productivity
Some managers think they will have better oversight and can manage issues faster and more efficiently when employees are physically present at the workplace. Regaining control over employees is also a reason why some managers support return-to-work mandates.
For employees, making themselves more visible to the management and colleagues is crucial to prove their productivity and get career development opportunities and promotions.
3. Lower Risks of Isolation and Job Displacement
Lack of in-person connection and collaboration makes employees feel isolated, disconnected and disengaged. This, in turn, adversely affects the well-being of employees and even takes a toll on their corporate environment. An RTO mandate is seen as a solution to these problems.
The lure of a stable salary that shields them from instability, mainly from the danger of job displacement with the increased use of AI, is another reason why some employees prefer to return to the office.
Opponents of RTO Mandates
1. No Significant Improvement in Employee Satisfaction and Performance
A past study by the University of Pittsburgh found proof that RTO mandates have an adverse impact on employee satisfaction and fail to improve a company’s performance. Other studies have shown that several employees are just as productive, if not more so when working remotely.
Flexible work options like remote work (including work-from-home) and hybrid work are known to improve employee satisfaction and work-life balance.
2. Pressure of being “Seen” at Work
Rather than focusing on the work, in-office employees feel pressured to create a visible presence and maintain a positive image within their company. They adopt various measures, including walking around the office to be seen by coworkers, planning in-person meetings with their coworkers, and leaving later or showing up earlier than their managers.
The remote or hybrid model can be the answer to helping employees focus on their work rather than contributing to the “Green Status Effect” to imply they are actively engaged in work even when they may not be.
3. Erosion of Trust
Since RTO mandates are seen as a tool for managers to exercise control over the employees and micromanage them, many employees believe them to stem from a place of distrust for the people the company has hired. Such distrust isn’t conducive to a comfortable work atmosphere.
The trust gap between “deskless” workers and their management is another vital concern. According to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer, deskless workers felt unprotected when experiencing burnout. The erosion of trust and an uncomfortable work atmosphere could even make the attrition rate escalate.
Final Words
Before issuing a return-to-office mandate, company leadership should ensure the clear purpose behind this move. It’s important for leaders to get actively involved in driving conversation about RTO mandates and creating a sense of purpose for having employees return to the workplace. Additionally, they should take responsibility for creating a fair and equitable work environment where employees can work optimally and grow, regardless of their location.
Recognising, fostering, and rewarding community-building efforts too can help build employee engagement and strengthen the corporate culture. It’s equally important to remember that remote and hybrid work models are here to stay when offering flexible work options to employees that support work-life balance.
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This article was written by Sonali