Return-To-Office Mandates: Pros, Cons, and Best Approach

Nowadays, many American employees (and managers) are losing sleep over return-to-office mandates. A single question keeps popping up: 

• After years of hybrid work, will returning to the office disrupt my work-life balance?

First impressions aside, the back-to-work trend isn’t a clear-cut issue.

So, let’s explore the return-to-office (RTO) policy and its impact on company culture and productivity.

What are return-to-office mandates (RTO)?

A return-to-office mandate is when businesses require staff to return to their physical workplace after a period of remote work. For many previously home-based and hybrid employees, that means working from the office 5 days a week.

In practice, companies like Amazon are implementing 5-day office mandates, denying any links to “backdoor layoffs.” Others, like Disney, are requesting that employees work on-site 4 days a week.

The RTO announcements come years after the COVID-19 scare, which caused radical changes in the corporate landscape. Initially, companies had their employees work from home. As safety measures loosened, workers started coming in a few days a week.

Since then, remote and flexible working has become the norm, and people have learned to love it. After all, no commuting and spending extra time with your kids are game-changing perks.

Now, to bring back pre-COVID-19 rules, businesses have started implementing RTO. Yet, some people are unsure about reverting to pre-pandemic ways. What’s changed?

In recent years, public opinion on the traditional workweek has shifted in favor of alternative work schedules. Even though the RTO policy promotes structure and in-person connections, modern employees are more concerned with exploring work schedules that suit their lifestyles. 

That’s why, fueled by the pandemic, remote work and hybrid models have become increasingly popular.

So, if you’re considering reintroducing office work, do it gently and give employees enough time to adapt to their new work arrangements.

Companies are using the RTO mandate to bolster collaboration and trust

We’re seeing major corporations hop onto the return-to-office trend, believing that in-office collaboration increases efficiency. Even those who’ve implemented the hybrid model — like the CEOs of Starbucks and Goldman Sachs — are now recanting their words. 

So, why are they choosing to enforce RTO?

Business owner Bethany Plaza believes it’s a matter of company ethos, office expenses, and security: 

“Some companies may believe that RTO is essential for maintaining company culture and innovation. Additionally, there might be a desire to reduce real estate costs or improve security measures.”

Organizational psychologist Esther Burk highlights that implementing back-to-office policies could inspire meaningful work connections: 

“RTO policies can work when they bring people together for brainstorming, collaboration, and building relationships.”

But how does this compare to ongoing reports about the rise of remote work?

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that 35% of Americans did some or all of their work from home in 2023, compared to 34% in 2022. Clearly, business leaders have accepted remote work as the new normal, with the number of home-based employees growing steadily.

Even so, skepticism about the efficiency of remote workers has always been around. And leadership psychologist Edel Holliday-Quinn blames generational differences: 

“Many senior leaders who built their careers in traditional offices struggle to embrace hybrid models, creating a disconnect with younger employees.”

Remote work also prevents employers from personally overseeing how employees solve problems or make decisions, which can lead to distrust.

Simply put, many business leaders believe that return-to-office mandates will enhance teamwork, trust, and productivity. Still, every business decision has pros and cons — which we’ll explore next.

Pros of RTO

It’s easy to focus on the flaws of returning to the office. However, the RTO policy can address some remote work challenges. That way, your home-based employees may find unexpected benefits in working onsite.

For illustration, a recent survey on human connection at work explored US employees’ expectations and found that:

• 48.3% of them value company culture,
• 38.7% of them cherish work relationships, and
• 25.4% of them expect company transparency.

As you see, employers and employees have quite similar work-related values. 

Now, let’s explore the mutually beneficial aspects of the RTO policy.

#1: The RTO mandate may lead to better work-life balance

Having a dedicated workplace can help your staff physically separate their professional and personal lives. So, returning to the office may be the work-life solution your employees didn’t know they needed.

Interestingly, a paper on the RTO benefits suggests that working onsite beats remote work in terms of professional equipment. Instead of creating and maintaining a home office setup, employees can head to the company to:

• Use their devices and furniture, and
• Request immediate equipment repairs.

By leaving office supplies at the work site, staff will have nothing at home to remind them of work — which can strengthen work-life boundaries.

VP of an employee award supplier, Mike Szczesny, explains how RTO can make workers’ lives more predictable and, thus, less stressful:

“In-office employees follow a certain schedule making it easier to merge work with personal life. This schedule provides comfort, diminishes stress, and helps achieve a good work-life balance.”

#2: The RTO mandate may help increase employee recognition

Contrary to popular belief, implementing RTO may raise engagement among your workers through increased recognition.

Given their work arrangements, remote employees rarely receive praise for their accomplishments. In-person work would increase their chances of getting recognition for their job performance — like a public shout-out or a private “thank you” note. This recognition can make them feel valued and appreciated, boosting their morale and engagement.

Working from home can blind managers to the mental struggles of team members. At the office, managers can act fast and offer adequate support to overwhelmed employees. Some ways to protect workers’ mental health may include: 

• Breaking down large projects into smaller tasks, 
• Sending employees on microbreaks (resting for 2 to 10 minutes), and
• Encouraging open discussions about work-related issues.

In support of this argument, VP Mike Szczesny says that managers monitor workers’ actions better in person:

“Managers are more likely to notice behaviors, such as body language and facial expression, giving them insight into employees’ grievances and interests.”

#3: The RTO mandate can help promote camaraderie

Your on-site employees can benefit from immediate interactions with their colleagues — from receiving real-time feedback to quickly solving issues. 

By spending time together, staff can develop true team productivity built on respect and trust. 

CEO Hayden Cohen explains RTO’s impact on social interaction:

“One of the biggest positives is more social connection. Employees know their coworkers better, like them more, and often spend more time at work.”

Additionally, employees’ physical presence would facilitate more successful and enjoyable team-building events. Preparing and participating in team-bonding exercises would be easier and more effective. 

Hence, business leaders have an easier time bringing teams closer together and promoting collaborative work.

Cons of RTO

Many business owners believe that introducing the return-to-office policy will boost productivity. Meanwhile, some employees fear how the shift will impact their performance. This conflict hints at trust issues on both sides. 

Ironically, the reason for this organizational change defies actual data.

A 2024 Stanford study showed that hybrid work doesn’t affect employee productivity or career growth. In fact, the report found that employees working from home 2 days a week are:

• Just as productive as their in-office peers, and
• 33% less likely to quit than in-office staff.

As a result, RTO announcements are creating tension between the higher-ups and the workforce. 

So, we’ll present the most alarming outcomes.

#1: The RTO mandate may cause productivity loss

Losing flexibility can deeply impact employees whose lifestyles depend on it — think parents, caregivers, and people with disabilities.

Our expert interlocutor, Esther Burk, hones in on the consequences of taking away flexible work arrangements: 

“This change is especially important for those struggling with work-life balance challenges and those with different abilities. They’re frustrated and disengaged. Some even leave for jobs that offer more freedom.”

Business leader Bethany Plaza focuses on how back-to-office demands affect employee morale and, by default, their performance:

“Workers may feel that their productivity and work-life balance are negatively impacted, while others may experience increased stress and anxiety.”

With more company heads joining the return-to-office trend, one thing has become clear:

Failing to keep your employees happy can cause a ripple effect — from experiencing mental health issues and productivity struggles to seeking more flexible jobs.

#2: The RTO mandate could lead to employee turnover

Forcing people back into the office full-time can backfire and prompt resignations.

In fact, a 2024 survey of 4,400 US workers confirms a strong link between mandates and higher turnover and disengagement. When employees were able to choose their work setting, they were:

• 14 times less likely to “quit and stay,” and
• 3 times more likely to want to keep their jobs.

Hence, if you let your workforce participate in decisions that affect their jobs, they won’t engage in harmful behaviors like quiet quitting (doing the bare minimum and eventually leaving).

Perhaps your business’s biggest concern is that RTO mandates are causing high-performing workers to resign. Mandatory office attendance could drive your star players away if they see it as a sign of distrust and a means of excessive monitoring.

Ultimately, a little freedom goes a long way. Giving your staff some control over where they work will protect their work-life balance, boost loyalty, and maintain productivity.

#3: The RTO mandate may make it hard to recruit new talent

Flexible work has become a staple for modern job hunters. Without it, you risk alienating top-tier candidates who may prefer remote work options.

Enter recruitment challenges. As news of companies embracing the RTO policy spreads, filling open positions becomes harder. 

Business psychologist Edel Holliday-Quinn believes that social media has empowered people to reject certain policies and demand social accountability:

“Employees’ videos highlight frustrations with outdated policies, poor communication, or leadership’s inability to adapt. Organizations are called out publicly if they don’t keep up with modern, flexible workplace standards.”

So, here are 2 ways to protect your corporate culture and reputation when implementing RTO:

#1: Be open-minded and transparent with your staff. Win employees’ trust by asking for feedback and sharing RTO-related news with fully remote and hybrid workers.

#2: Prioritize outcomes over time and location. That’s what James Stack, Product Leader at a payment orchestration platform, thinks is the best approach:

“We focus on outcomes, not hours. We understand high standards aren’t tied to location. We value results over presence.”

Enhance on-site productivity with Clockify

Now, put aside the debate on return-to-office mandates. Your ultimate goal is to improve team collaboration and productivity without upsetting your staff, right?

Then, backtrack and reconsider your management style. If your team associates the RTO policy with distrust and intense surveillance, that shows how they view your leadership. 

A good leader encourages open communication and respects employees’ needs and boundaries. So, announcing stricter policies in a healthy workplace would be self-destructive.

Instead, use a privacy-conscious tool that tracks progress and encourages collaboration — which all-in-one productivity tools like Clockify specialize in.

Our app easily integrates with effective business communication software, like:

• Google Chat,
• Microsoft Teams,
• Discord,
• Pumble,
• Slack, and more.

Additionally, Clockify measures efficiency through noninvasive yet powerful time-tracking methods. It helps you track on-site and remote work activity from a healthy distance via:

• Timesheet — check your employees’ logged time and activities to ensure they’re following their work schedules.

• GPS tracking — see workers’ location history on a map once they’ve logged into our mobile app.
• Reports — view detailed reports on tasks per employee, sorted by day, week, and month, or have your staff share their reports with you for more convenience.

The timesheet lets workers categorize and add time spent on tasks — and use saved templates for faster task entry. To ensure accuracy, you can review and edit their time entries before approving them for payroll. GPS tracking monitors the staff’s presence at work, and insightful reports show their productivity levels.

Overall, our affordable app lets you observe how employees organize their time around projects while fostering team connectivity. 

With seamless time tracking in Clockify, you can fuel business growth, promote trust, and watch your remote teams thrive in their desired workspaces.