The return-to-office (RTO) debate dominated headlines last year, and it shows no signs of slowing down. The latest headlines see JP Morgan mandating all 316,000 of its employees to return to the office full-time – marking its latest attempt in a five-year effort to bring workers back on-site.
JP Morgan isn’t alone. In recent years, many global giants have embraced RTO policies to varying degrees. BT implemented a three-day office requirement, WPP opted for four days, and AT&T has gone all-in with another full five-day mandate. The driving force behind these decisions? Concerns over productivity in hybrid work models.
Leaders have openly voiced these worries. Amazon’s CEO called his push for RTO a “judgment” call, while Mark Zuckerberg claimed that engineers “get more done” when they are in the office. Our survey shows such concerns are widespread. Half (50%) of knowledge workers say their employer has “productivity paranoia” over employees working away from the office.
At its core, the RTO debate comes down to trust. Companies that trust their employees tend to embrace greater flexibility. Spotify’s Chief Human Resources Officer recently emphasized this, stating there’s no need to treat employees like "children" when deciding between WFH and RTO. Regardless of the chosen working model, policies should be built on a foundation of mutual trust, and informed by data.
Rigid RTO polices breed disengagement
It’s a chicken-and-egg situation. In environments with rigid RTO mandates, employees often feel micromanaged, leading to disengagement. Our research shows that 35% of knowledge workers resent being told they must go into the office a set number of days, and 33% resent being told which days they have to go into the office.
In these cases, presenteeism fosters trends like 'coffee badging’ – where employees badge into the office merely to show their face and have a coffee with colleagues before returning home. But on the flip side, employers who observe such behavior may tighten RTO policies, further straining trust.
It’s clear that trust needs to flow both ways. Employers must trust employees to be productive outside the office, while employees need to trust that decisions are being made in their best interests, not based on outdated assumptions about productivity linked to office attendance.
Technology: The Double-Edged Sword in the RTO Debate
Technology has been a major catalyst for the RTO debate. While remote or hybrid work offers undeniable flexibility, the shift to a digital-first workplace has introduced new challenges, particularly in the form of digital friction – defined by Gartner as the unnecessary effort extended by employees using technology for work.
For employers, visibility into employees' digital experiences remains limited. And without a clear understanding of how employees interact with their tools and what might be slowing them down, organizations risk making RTO decisions based on assumptions rather than data.
This leads to blaming working from home for a loss of productivity, rather than addressing issues like slow technology or inefficient workflows that hinder performance. This lack of insight leads to frustration on both sides. Employees feel unseen, while employers struggle to identify and address barriers to effective work.
Companies can overcome these issues by leveraging workstyle analytics and Digital Employee Experience (DEX) software to gain valuable insights into working patterns and identify areas where digital friction is impacting productivity. These insights not only help organizations reduce inefficiencies but also foster a culture of trust and accountability. Instead of relying on gut feelings to make decisions that impact both employees and the organization, leaders can act on concrete evidence.
Interestingly, many employees are open to this approach. Our research found that 55% of knowledge workers would welcome their employer using DEX software to gather data on working patterns if it allowed them to demonstrate their efficiency when working from home. This sentiment is particularly strong among younger workers, with 64% of those aged 16-24 and 61% of those aged 35-44 expressing support.
The future of work isn’t about choosing between remote and in-office models – it’s about designing a workplace built on mutual respect, adaptability, and a shared commitment to success. By embracing flexibility and leveraging data, organizations can create an environment where both employees and businesses thrive.
While HR teams might have historically shied away from using observation data as it risks communicating mistrust, when employed correctly, DEX analytics provides a significant benefit. Moreover, employees are open to DEX analytics being used to verify their productivity in a hybrid work setting, showing that when advantages are clearly communicated to workers, trust is not thrown into question.
Learn how Acumen can help HR professionals improve worker wellbeing and optimize the work environment here.