What Leaders Are Getting Wrong About The Return To The Office

The debate between employers and employees about the great return to the office goes on. Headlines highlight employees who refuse to come back or companies like GM or Amazon which stepped back from their in-office policies. At the same time, Morgan Stanley’s CEO recently announced employees must be in the office five days a week, and Snap’s CEO insisted employees must be in the office 80% of the time beginning in February. And of course, Elon Musk famously said if employees didn’t want to be in the office everyday, they could pretend to work somewhere else.

These proclamations are against a backdrop of layoffs and economic concerns—with a daily litany of companies announcing headcount reductions and cutbacks. For some employees, being in the office more frequently is a matter of fear or worries about job security—with people becoming less comfortable about refusing to return.

But companies don’t just want compliance or anxious people doing the minimum to get by, they want employees who are motivated and engaged—and who actually want to be in the office. Unfortunately, they’re making a lot of mistakes in the process to bring people back. But they can do better—with positive impacts for people and companies.

Tides Are Shifting

Fully 81% of people are worried about losing their job, according to a study by Clarify Capital. And 61% say concerns about the economy are affecting hiring at their companies. A global study of over 13,000 people by BCW demonstrated job security is a number one concern among employees—with priorities for hybrid work coming in at a paltry 12^th on the list. People may not feel comfortable continuing to work remote when their leaders want them back, and they may be prioritizing face time as a result.

But even amidst the changing tides, senior leaders are making mistakes in terms of how they’re bringing people back. And when they do, they lose people’s motivation and mindshare.

Doing It Badly (And How to Do Better)

It’s notable that how a company brings people back is as important as whether they do or for how many days. Both employees and customers judge companies for their values and their culture. They give credence to organizations based on how they behave and the choices they make—and requirements about where, when and how employees work have become a magnifier for who a company is.

These are the ways leaders are falling down, and how they can succeed instead.

Failing to Take a Stand

People prefer others who are legible and easy to read—and trust builds more effectively in relationships where people know what to count on from each other. Employees’ relationship with organizations is like this as well. People want to know where a company stands. And they want to see consistency between what a company says and what it does.

Many leaders have made the mistake of not taking a stand on the return to the office—leaving it up to people or individual managers. They’ve done this largely based on fear that people will leave. The tight job market has made it a legitimate worry that people will quit and go to a company where they can work on an all-remote basis. But people want to work for a company that is clear about its direction and its policies. They want to know what is expected so they can make decisions about their own futures—and companies benefit when people are fully committed to their work—hybrid or otherwise.

When companies take a firm stand, they send a message they value people and want their best contributions—and they reinforce their cultures. Snap’s CEO coined a “default together” belief, and a leading insurance firm based on the south says they are a “connected culture.” This clarity is helpful, so people know what’s important at a company.

With the deluge of information people face daily, attention is the most scare resource. In addition, neurologically, people crave certainty and avoid ambiguity. So, when a company provides clarity, it is a welcome relief. Even if people disagree, they know the direction and can weigh their own options—choosing to commit, recommit or find alternatives. Companies have an advantage when those who stick around have done so with a level of empowered choice.

Failing to Provide a Why

Leaders have also made the mistake of focusing too much on how people will come back—which days, which hours, which teams and which job titles. All of these are critically important, but what’s more important is why people should return.

Leaders are wise to communicate about why the office is important—and to link this with their overall direction and purpose as an organization. Purpose is motivating and people want to know they’re part of something that matters. And the office is likely a part of this. Perhaps the organization wants to engage people more fully in person. Or perhaps they want to focus on customers and be able to resolve issues with the greater speed or urgency—when people can huddle up together in a tough situation. Or perhaps they want the greater innovation that comes when people can roll up sleeves and think creatively together. They may want people to have stronger relationships—so they feel a greater sense of commitment to the community. All of these are valid reasons for why a company would advocate time together in the workplace—and communicating them is an important part of the process.

Leaders also need to consider the reasons people would want to be in the office for themselves as well. These include the desire for connections with coworkers, the desire to feel validated in their work, the desire for access to leaders, the desire to build their career, the craving for a broader purpose or the inspiration that comes from working together on something important. Leaders are wise to listen to their employees—about what’s most important to them—and create the conditions for those priorities in the office.

Failing to Provide Choice

Some companies are requiring work in the office all day, every day because their business model depends on it. But for many organizations, hybrid work is an even better solution—giving people options to work on a remote basis part of the time and the office the other part of the time.

New research demonstrates providing flexible work has positive impacts such as increased innovation, more positive culture and greater employee wellbeing. In addition, studies have proven that giving people greater levels of choice results in more engagement, satisfaction and discretionary effort. It also has the effect of reducing stress and expanding wellbeing.

It’s not always possible to provide choice, but leaders are wise to be creative about how to provide plenty of flexibility and autonomy in the hours people work, the locations of their work and even the focus of their work or the projects they pursue.

Failing to Provide Guardrails

At the same time leaders can provide choice for individuals, it’s also helpful in the return-to-work equation to give people clear guidelines for their work. Before the pandemic, most people had a default of going into the office. During the pandemic, the default was to stay home. But today, work has fragmented, and every day is potentially a point of decision making—to go into the office or not—with the accompanying coordination with team members, childcare, personal logistics and the like.

By providing guardrails, leaders can reduce the effort people need to make every day to decide whether or not to be in the office. A clear expectation that Tuesdays through Thursdays are office days with more flexibility on Mondays and Fridays can help colleagues connect. Or a strong policy for the product launch and the marketing teams to be in the office together Mondays through Wednesdays can reduce the effort people need to put into coordinating when they’ll meet and when they’ll collaborate in person.

Clear guidelines also help with equity. When an organization has strong principles to guide their policies and transparency in when, where, how and for whom work happens, it contributes to a sense of equity. Companies are more effective when people are treated in ways that make sense based on the kind of work they do and when there is openness about why decisions have been made as they have.

Failing to Grasp the Importance of the Office

If the office is a drab maze of cubes designed decades ago, it’s no wonder people don’t want to be in the office. Work has changed fundamentally in the last few years, and the office should too. Designing a workplace that works for people is important to effectiveness, but it also sends a message that the organization cares about people, about their experiences and about evolving and progressing over time—rather than stagnating.

Provide places that allow for all kinds of work: collaborating, focusing, learning, socializing and rejuvenating. Be sure there is plenty of variety so people can choose to work where it’s best for the task at hand. Ensure the office has comfortable spaces that feel like home and encourage impromptu, casual interactions with colleagues. Upgrade technology so it provides for all the remote work that is occurring and the extent to which people are doing webinars, video calls and online learning.

Design neighborhoods where people can find their teammates and have a place to call their own, and ensure a proportion of conference rooms or desks are reservable so people can predict where they’ll do the call, or where they’ll be able to sit for the day. Also create places with include elements of nature, daylight and views.

In addition to the policies and practices which support a return to the office, great places can compel people, rather than cajole them to come back.

Failing to Provide Support for the Transition

Employees have gotten comfortable working from home. They’ve established new routines for everything from childcare to exercise and time with friends. Home is the new comfort zone, so leaders can help make the transition back to the office—providing people with time to adjust their schedules and their mindsets.

Give people notice and time to get ready—by announcing several weeks ahead of time what the return schedule will be. Let people phase in—perhaps returning one day a week, and then two and so on. Provide workshops or coaching on which work will be most effective at home or what criteria people should use to determine whether to come into the office on the days they have choices.

Initiate conversations among team members about which work they’ll do together or which days they’ll plan on being face-to-face. And develop leaders so they are building their skills in managing based on objectives and outcomes—and nurturing strong relationships no matter where people are working. Obtain people’s input on the spaces, so you can determine which can be improved over time and so people know you value their input.

Don’t underestimate the power of activating the office experience. Often the people who are most resistant to coming back to the office are those who haven’t been there yet, so if you can get people in the door, they may feel increasingly comfortable to return again and again.

Host luncheons with senior executives or a wine and cheese event for employees who started during the pandemic. Ask the local bagpiping chapter to entertain people in the courtyard or invite local artists to do an exhibition in the work café. Offer your famous Caesar salad bar on Wednesdays at reduced prices.

Psychologically, people will be more likely to embrace something when they feel valued and recognized—and activities which build energy and positive engagement catalyze people’s desire to be part of what’s new and give back.

A New Day

Far from drudgery, the office can be a place to refresh, renew and reimagine work. It can be a place where people are energized by their colleagues, their leaders and the work they do.

A recent study by LiveCareer found 85% of people go above and beyond at work and 88% feel their work is meaningful. This is good news which can be enhanced by a great experience in the office—not just by a mandate to come back, but by clear expectations and a positive experiences that enhances people’s work and lives.