Return to Trust: The Human Side of Return-to-Office Decisions

Since the online algorithms know me and my obsession with all things workplace so well, I can’t log on to any device or app without being bombarded by articles about Return to Office policies (RTOs) – and naturally, I read all of them! RTOs are a careful calculation of risk vs. reward for executive leaders. With an endless plethora of information available on the subject, I’ve broken down what you really need to know.

The drive to get people back into the office is generally well intentioned, seeking tangible benefits like combating the Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation and supporting local businesses. However, other significant benefits of being together in the office, like relationship building, connection to culture and mission, and mentoring, are less tangible and more challenging to prove with legitimate benchmarking data. When executive leaders cite these reasons without the metrics to back them up, it can seem like lip service or a veiled excuse to hide productivity concerns and can lead to a critical breakdown in trust between employers and employees.

While I know it’s not the case for many, I find that working in the office helps maintain a balance between my work-life and home-life. Even though I choose to work in the office almost every day, it would be extremely upsetting to be stripped of my ability to choose based on my personal and work-based needs. Several studies agree that most remote-capable knowledge workers cite work-life balance as a top evaluation factor when considering career options, and according to the Pew Research Center, 46% of remote-capable workers would leave their current job if faced with a full-time return to office mandate.

Even as we face a softening labor market, recruiting and retention are paramount. Joe Biden’s 2022 RTO policy asked government employees to come into the office 60% of the week and caused a 26% increase in turnover of senior employees and a 32% rise in turnover of people with advanced qualifications and specialized skills. Experienced, highly skilled individuals always have options! Time spent in the office should drive positive results for employers and employees.

Here are the top considerations for developing a strategy you won’t regret…

RTO Trends vs. Reality: Why Your Data Matters More Than Headlines

The hype and headlines about RTO don’t tell the whole story; rather, they tell tales of extremes. A sweeping 5-day a week return to “business as usual” is not on the horizon. Remote work and location flexibility were in play pre-pandemic; COVID was merely an accelerator. While the average time spent in the office is rising, the number of organizations requiring full-time in-office work has dropped 17% since Q1 2023, remaining relatively flat over the course of 2024 (Flex Index, Flex Report Q4 2024).

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what Dell and Amazon are doing because there’s no right or wrong answer to full-time in-office, structured hybrid, complete flexibility, or fully remote – It’s about doing what’s right for your culture and business performance. However, benchmarking data can offer valuable insights to generate ideas and help validate decisions – if the data is relevant. There are a lot of articles and studies that cite reputable-looking metrics and data points, but are they reputable? Statistics cited in online articles are often clickable, allowing for a deeper dive. We can’t all be statisticians, but consider…

• How many people were surveyed? Less than 100 or more than 10,000?
• Were the survey participants relevant? Was it a survey about WFH that included bartenders?
• What’s being measured? Opinion and sentiment like CEO’s feel collaboration has improved or measurable performance like profitability increased or turnover decreased.
• Can the organization provide the data benefit from controlling the narrative?

Employee Buy-in Matters: How to Bring Intention to the Office

“Nothing about us without us” is a significant slogan associated with disability rights and DEI initiatives, and it strongly applies to workplace strategy development and building trust at an organizational level. People don’t respond well to strict rules and mandates but do respond well to individualized plans and being asked for input. While it’s important to manage expectations about how employee feedback will be used, people are more likely to buy-in to a new initiative when they know that their voice helped inform organization-wide strategic goals.

Take the time to identify what’s not working with your current strategies and policies, understand the needs of diverse individuals and teams, and set goals for the future. Collect data to track metrics like employee happiness and wellbeing, profitability, or turnover rates to measure the success of your policies and initiatives. Be transparent about your goals, the reasons behind them, what’s being measured, and that you strive for continuous improvement. Transparency and two-way communication are more important than having all the answers. 

Why Relationships Matter More than RTO Mandates

A great article in Forbes by Ryan Anderson, the VP of Global Research at MillerKnoll, dives into psychological safety. We’re able to be more vulnerable around people we know and trust, asking silly questions to avoid spinning wheels, sharing crazy ideas that might lead to innovative solutions, and offering critical feedback. Strong relationships are forged in-person and will erode without maintenance.

Anderson goes on to suggest that if building relationships is a desired outcome of your RTO policy, to be intentional about it – in lieu of stringent attendance mandates, set goals to increase opportunities for meaningful in-person collaboration. Not another meeting for the sake of a meeting but recognizing that there are types of collaboration that are more valuable and efficient when done in person, like brainstorming and problem solving.

Socializing at work is no longer frowned upon and is recognized as a key driver of business performance and innovation. Belonging is a core human need, and social connection is the number one driver our client’s employees cite for wanting to come into the office. With strong mutual benefits this is a place where employers and employees find common ground.

Work Has Changed – Your Office Should Too

The way we work has changed why would your work environment stay the same? If your office hinders productivity or doesn’t feel welcoming to a diverse array of users, they won’t come – even if you tell them to. Data from Leesman tells us that most people find that their home better accommodates focused work. We can lean into this by looking at people’s home environment as part of a greater workplace ecosystem and take cues from that data to understand what our work environments can do better. With greater awareness of topics like disability accommodations, psychological safety, and neurodiversity, work environments that prioritize variety in work settings and enable in-office mobility will optimize productivity and performance. Gone are the days of a one-size fits all approach; we’ve entered an era of data-driven design that recognizes that we all experience the world around us differently and need different things to thrive in the workplace.

Advancements in technology will continue to disrupt the future of work. A recent study by Gallup indicates that only about a third of organizations and individuals are currently incorporating AI into their workflows and processes in a meaningful way. The World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2025, predicts that work will be evenly balanced, “33% human-led, 34% technology-driven, 33% human-AI collaboration” by 2030. This represents an enormous shift in just five short years.

Our work environments need to support human interaction with technology and human-centric tasks (the things that people are better at than AI) like strategic thinking, empathy, and communication. Collaboration and deep concentration facilitate strategic thinking and innovation. These disparate modalities that were not well supported by pre-pandemic office environments are critical today and as we look to the future.  

Workplace Strategy Isn’t DIY: Why Expert Guidance Matters

Hybrid work is a work in progress; the right thing to do is rarely the easiest. Management training may be required to accommodate new workflows, facilitate collaboration, and ensure mentoring and knowledge transfer among distributed teams. Communication must be more intentional and frequent to build trust and ensure mutual understanding of expectations.

Figuring out where to start can be daunting. Workplace strategists can help you collect data, map out a communication plan, identify your goals and desired outcomes, and ultimately size your workspace appropriately to respond to your workforce’s needs and align with your aspirations for culture and connection.

The Future of Work Is Yours to Shape

As organizations navigate their return-to-office policies, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. The most successful strategies will be those that are data-driven, employee-centric, and adaptable to change. Avoid falling for industry hype, engage your workforce in meaningful discussions, and ensure your office space supports the evolving ways people work. Strong relationships, transparency, and intentional design will determine whether your return-to-office approach enhances business performance and workplace culture—or simply causes frustration. And when in doubt, don’t hesitate to seek guidance from professionals who can help you align your workplace strategy with your organizational goals. The future of work isn’t just about returning to the office—it’s about creating a better, smarter, and more connected workplace for everyone.