A growing number of companies are implementing return-to-office (RTO) mandates, for a variety of reasons. While some employees are resisting the return, at least on a full-time basis, others (particularly younger workers who value opportunities to learn from more senior employees and increase their visibility with management) welcome these moves.
This post will dive into:
- Who is announcing RTO mandates;
- What the trends are in RTO requirements;
- Why companies of all sizes are doing this; and
- How to ease the transition and welcome employees back to the office.
What Companies Are Announcing RTO Mandates
Companies announcing RTO mandates, per Hubble and other sources, include some very big names:
- Amazon
- AT&T
- Boots
- Citigroup
- Goldman Sachs
- HSBC
- J.P. Morgan
- Morgan Stanley
- Rockstar
- Twitter/X
In addition, Barclays, Disney, and Salesforce now require employees to be in the office four days per week. And Adobe, Apple, Capital One, and Google are among a large number of companies planning to mandate that workers spend at least three days per week in the office.
What the Trends Are in RTO Requirements
It’s not just a small number of large companies making RTO announcements. Across companies of all sizes, leaders increasingly require workers to return to the office. Per The Business Journals, and referenced in our recent post on the top trends in corporate events and team building for 2025:
“(Amazon CEO Andy) Jassy is not alone among CEOs who want to roll back the remote-work clock to 2019. The University of Texas announced the end of remote work for most of its staff over the summer. Nebraska state employees also had to go back to work in person over the summer…
“There’s been a dramatic pullback in hybrid and remote work, with 79% of (U.S.) CEOs saying workers who used to be in the office will be back within the next three years. That’s a dramatic increase from 34% earlier this year.”
Furthermore, “Despite the popularity with workers, remote jobs are getting tougher to find. The share of postings on jobs platform Indeed that mention remote or hybrid work terms has dropped over the last few years after growing from about 2.5% before the pandemic to more than 10.5% in 2022. The percentage had fallen back to 8% in July.”
Finally, Forbes cites another study showing that “70% of companies with flexible work schedules surveyed plan to increase the days employees must work in the office (in) 2025.”
Why Companies Are Adopting RTO Policies
Businesses are requiring employees to return to the office for several reasons. In the words of Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, “The company had ‘observed that it’s easier to learn, model, practice, and strengthen our culture,’ that ‘collaborating, brainstorming, and inventing are simpler and more effective,’ and that ‘teams tend to be better connected to one another’ when everyone is in the office.”
Per Google Gemini, HRD Connect, and other sources, the top 10 reasons for company leaders wanting employees back in the office include:
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Better Collaboration
Face-to-face interactions make brainstorming easier and more effective. Being together in person facilitates idea-sharing and faster problem-solving compared to remote communication.
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Stronger Company Culture
Being in the office builds a tighter sense of belonging and team spirit through casual interactions and shared experiences. Many employees agree: according to recent research from multinational hospitality company Accor: “85 percent of workers agree face-to-face interaction is important with internal colleagues.”
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Improved Mentorship and Career Development
Working in the same physical space provides easier access to senior colleagues for guidance and mentorship; “The duty of senior staff to nurture and support more (of the company’s) newer employees can’t be neglected, as it helps build up the leadership pipeline and skill up junior staff faster.”
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Increased Productivity (Maybe)
Many corporate leaders believe employees are more focused and productive in a dedicated office environment. However, the research on this has produced mixed findings.
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Greater Access to Resources
Employees working in the office have easier access to specialized equipment or tools that might not be readily available at home. These tools range from advanced AV equipment and high-end printers and scanners, to lab equipment and 3D printers.
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Improved Communication
Being together in person makes brainstorming, spontaneous conversations, and stronger team dynamics easier.
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Enhanced Creativity
Research on this is also mixed, but some leaders believe that chance meetings in the office and ease of striking up quick conversations improve innovation and creativity.
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Separation of Work and Personal Life
“Having a distinct workplace can make it easier to “switch off” from work when at home. This might lead to a healthier balance between job and personal time for some employees,” per HRD Connect.
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Improved Mental Health and Socialization
We’ve written here before about combating the epidemic of workplace loneliness. That sense of isolation, and its negative effects on self-confidence and social skills, is greatly exacerbated by full-time remote work. According to recent research from The Business Journals, working in the office even part of each week actually improves mental health:
“According to a recent survey from Resume Builder…the majority of respondents said they don’t feel connected to their co-workers or community. Four in 10 said they would prefer to work in person at least once a week.”
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Better Information Security
“During remote work, companies faced challenges with employees using personal devices, unsecured home networks, and potentially compromised physical environments,” according to HRD Connect.
“Returning to the office allows organizations to implement enterprise-grade security systems consistently across all workstations. This includes advanced firewalls, regularly updated security protocols, and physical security measures that are simply not feasible in home settings.”
How Companies Can Ease the RTO Transition and Welcome Workers Back
As companies implement RTO mandates, it’s essential to address the needs and concerns of employees who have been working remotely. A well-planned approach can make for a smoother transition, avoid damaging morale, and maintain productivity.
Five Steps to Prepare for the RTO Shift
Before asking employees to return to in-person work, prepare your management team, facility, and employees for the change. Demanding that employees return to the office without proper planning and preparation is a recipe for disgruntled employees and potential chaos.
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Prepare Your Management team
Bringing employees back from remote work can raise a host of issues. Your leaders at all levels need to be prepared to be empathetic and adaptable to employee concerns, while also achieving business goals. Professional development training can help prepare managers for RTO success.
Our DiSC Workshop and Emotional Intelligence Training can help managers better understand their own personality traits and communication preferences as well as those of their direct reports, and help foster a culture of trust and openness.
Our Manager’s Guide to Business Coaching program can help managers provide more effective one-on-one, in-person feedback and coaching. If part of the team will remain remote, our course on Leading Virtual Teams helps leaders optimize their ability to coach, supervise, and maintain team cohesion among remote team members.
Successfully reintegrating your employees into office life is too important to have success risked by bad leadership.
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Collect Employee Sentiment and Feedback
What are the biggest concerns about or objections to returning to the office among your employees? Don’t just assume you know the answers.
Instead, conduct surveys or even focus groups to get a solid grasp of employee preferences and concerns about returning to the office. Ask questions about RTO worries, commute challenges, and work-life balance. Understand that some employees may have childcare or health-related concerns, requiring empathy and flexibility.
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Communicate Clearly and Transparently About the Purpose of Returning
Be open about the benefits to the business, but focus on the WIIFM (what’s in it for me?) benefits from the employee standpoint. Articulate the positive aspects of returning to the office, such as:
- easier and faster communication with coworkers;
- opportunities for mentoring;
- an environment for building stronger workplace relationships;
- clear separation of work and non-work time;
- access to specialized tools and technology; and
- in-office perks like free snacks and beverages.
Develop and share clear policies and expectations regarding office attendance. Work with front-line supervisors and team leaders to respond empathetically to any concerns raised by employees.
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Upgrade the Office Environment and Resources
Many companies cancelled leases and reduced their physical space over the past few years as more employees embraced remote work. It should go without saying, but the most fundamental consideration for RTO is making sure you have enough space to accommodate having all of your people physically back in the office.
Ensure your office is equipped for a seamless transition with comfortable workspaces, reliable technology, and updated systems. Ditch the hated open floorplans; redesign office spaces to focus on collaboration zones while maintaining quiet areas for deep work.
Ensure workstations are clean, ergonomic, and designed to allow employees to personalize their spaces.
To make the return feel special, offer “swag bags” with office supplies, company-branded gear and apparel, and/or wellness items.
Per HRD Connect:
“Enhancing office amenities and creating an engaging work environment can make the prospect of returning more appealing…Companies now have the opportunity to design spaces that truly enhance collaboration, creativity, and productivity in ways that weren’t possible before. This might include creating more flexible workspaces, investing in state-of-the-art meeting rooms with advanced AV equipment, or developing specialized areas for different types of work.”
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If Possible, Provide Hybrid Work Options
Most employees don’t want to work remotely full-time, but really appreciate flexibility. If it’s practical for your organization, offer employees a hybrid work model (2-3 days in the office each week, the rest remote). Communicate clear expectations for which tasks are better suited for office versus remote work.
If your policy is that everyone comes back to the office full-time, consider offering a four- or five-week hybrid model transition period to help employees adjust gradually to the change.
Three Ways to Make the RTO Transition More Appealing
Once you’re prepared for employees to return to the workplace, take steps to ease the transition and welcome them back, making the RTO a positive experience.
1. Host a “Welcome Back” Event
Consider organizing a kickoff celebration, such as a welcome breakfast, coffee social, or lunch, to create a positive, welcoming environment. Include team-building activities or icebreakers to help employees reconnect with colleagues.
Our Speed Networking program—a series of fun, challenging activities combined with interactive get-to-know-you discussions—is a popular choice. A high-energy activity like A Minute 2 Win It! or an engaging game show along the lines of Best Corporate Feud or Jeoparody Live! are also great options.
Or, to instill a sense of purpose and gratitude for the day’s events, consider a charitable corporate responsibility (CSR) program such as our signature Build-a-Guitar® activity, Mini-Gold Build and Food Donation, Cancer Care Comfort Packs, or Putting for Pets.
Later in the day, offer an office reorientation to familiarize returning employees with changes to the space, systems, or protocols. Present tech tutorials or Q&A sessions to help employees learn new office technology, tools, or hybrid meeting setups.
2. Facilitate Social Connections
In subsequent days, encourage in-person bonding through informal gatherings like team lunches and happy hours. Plan collaborative projects or brainstorming sessions to remind employees of the value of face-to-face interactions.
Per HRD Connect: “Organizations might also consider providing incentives for office attendance, such as team-building events or exclusive professional development opportunities. Regular employee feedback sessions can help fine-tune policies and address concerns.”
3. Recognize Contributions and Achievements
Celebrate milestones or successes that occurred before the RTO shift. By recognizing employees’ adaptability and productivity, you can build a culture of trust and appreciation.
Acknowledge that returning to the office is an adjustment and provide incentives, such as meals, commuter benefits, or wellness perks. After everyone is back in the office, continue to acknowledge employee contributions.
The Benefits of a Thoughtful RTO Approach
By understanding and acting on employee concerns about returning to the office and creating a welcoming, inclusive, flexible experience, companies can:
- Boost employee morale and engagement;
- Strengthen relationships and in-person collaboration;
- Reduce resistance or resentment toward return mandates; and
- Promote a healthier, more balanced workplace culture.
Balancing business goals with empathy, flexibility, and purpose will make the return to the office a more positive transition for both employees and leadership.
Final Thoughts on How Companies Can Successfully Manage the RTO Process
A growing number of companies, both high-profile brand names and small to midsized firms, are already requiring or will require employees to spend more time back in the office in the coming year.
Nearly four out of five U.S. CEOs expect most employees will be back in the office full-time (or nearly so) within the next three years—up from just a third of CEOs in early 2024. And fully remote roles are getting harder to find in job postings.
While many workers crave the flexibility to work remotely at least part of the time, there is acknowledgement that in-person, in-the-office work has its advantages. These include improved collaboration and creativity, greater access to resources, and—particularly important to younger workers—better opportunities for mentoring and career development.
To be successful in implementing RTO policies, companies should take a number of steps, from preparing their managers with leadership training and arranging “welcome back” activities—including team building activities that promote fun competition and bonding—to communicating about the shift clearly and transparently.
If your company is planning RTO changes for next year, learn more about how Best Corporate Events can help ease that transition and kick it off on a high note. To discuss your specific situation and options for customizing a team building or leadership development program to meet your unique needs, contact us.
