Why return to office mandates won't pay off for employers

Lydia Smith
Updated

The tug-of-war between workers and employers over returning to the office has only intensified since the end of the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Employees who want the flexibility of remote work say it makes no sense to spend more time and money commuting if they can do their jobs successfully at home.

Despite this, though, many employers are insisting on more in-office days, reversing previous flexible work policies.

Research shows a significant gap between what workers and employers want. A survey of 500 HR professionals shows 98% of companies have tried to persuade their employees back to the workplace. Nearly two-third of bosses believe employees will return to the office five days a week within the next three years, while most company leaders think pay and promotions could become linked to workplace attendance, according to research by KPMG.

Meanwhile, employees would rather quit than work in-office. Almost half would give up their jobs if the return-to-office was made mandatory, according to a survey of 1,001 people by Skillshub.

Read more: How to manage summer holidays as a working parent

CEOs cite productivity as a key reason for wanting a return, even when employees disagree. Many employers simply don’t trust that employees are as effective as possible when managers can’t see them at their desks.

There is mounting evidence that mandates don’t pay off. Instead, they risk damaging employee performance, productivity and morale, especially among high-performing workers and parents.

“In general, people don’t like feeling like they have no choice, especially when working remotely clearly has its advantages,” says Alice Stapleton, a career change coach. “If a decision just doesn’t make sense, and there’s no flexibility in the approach, it can be bad for employee morale. If this sinks too low, you end up with staff retention issues.”

There is a big difference between wanting people to come back to the office for a purpose, and forcing an arbitrary return. In part, says career expert Kate Lewis, a coach and consultant, this may be because more of us are thinking about the “why” behind our work after COVID-19.

“A lot of people are thinking more about their purpose at work, and they want it to have meaning,” she explains. “As well as the content of the work itself, this extends to the work environment, with a lot of people looking for workplaces that align with their values — for example, flexibility, autonomy, or health.”

Read more: Should children work during school holidays?

If you’ve been working remotely successfully, it can feel disheartening to be asked to be in-office for no particular reason. It can be interpreted as a lack of trust in them to do their work independently.

“Over the last few years, organisations and individuals have shown that work and productivity can remain or even flourish when people can work from home, so this move back can feel like quite a personal affront to people,” says Lewis.

Research shows that when employees are mandated to be in the office, it leads to higher stress and lower morale. Relationships between workers and managers suffer, with employees forced to return far less likely to say their manager understands or cares about them or a healthy work environment.

In a study of 500 businesses, two researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, Yuye Ding and Mark Ma, found a strong link between return-to-office mandates and poor firm performance. The explanation is simple — an unhappy employee simply isn’t productive.

Return-to-office mandates can also create a diversity problem. Not everyone wants to work remotely, but for many parents, the flexibility allows them to balance their work with their caring responsibilities. Suddenly being asked to work in-office can be a logistical nightmare — and force people out of the workforce entirely.

Read more: Is a mandatory retirement age good for younger workers or ageist?

“Some of the workforce are simply unable to return to work as it was before - those with caring responsibilities, people who moved out of cities during the pandemic, people with disabilities,” says Lewis. “Companies run the risk of becoming less diverse if they shut these people out. These people will look for other jobs that can cater to their needs for remote work.”

There are many reasons why people are being asked to head back. Micromanagers may want to physically see that their employees are working. Businesses may have financially committed to an office space and may therefore want to fill it. Some want people to work in a hybrid way, or to use workspaces for meetings.

There is also a widespread belief that in-person work fosters a stronger workplace culture and improved communication, says Keith Spencer, career expert at FlexJobs. “Whether or not these justifications are legitimate is still widely debated and can also vary based on a range of factors like the nature of the work and individual preferences,” he says.

“That being said, many teams have found ways to communicate and collaborate effectively using remote tools. Also, plenty of fully remote companies have been able to create and maintain a robust and engaging company culture that promotes employee development and mentorship while still providing the flexibility their employees crave.”

Some companies are now issuing ultimatums, which effectively make in-person attendance a disciplinary issue.

Read more: Are 'keep in touch' work days helpful or stressful for new mums?

But in the UK, workers do have a legal right to request flexible working from their first day in a job. Employers have two months to respond to a request and must have good reason to reject it.

Spencer recommends understanding your company’s reasoning behind the mandate before deciding what to do. “Once you have a comprehensive grasp on the official policy, you can speak with your manager or HR department and try to present a case for continued remote work or a flexible hybrid arrangement,” he says.

When making your case for remote work, outline the advantages for both yourself and your employer. Think of solutions to potential problems, for example, by setting aside time for meetings with colleagues. It may be worth trying to reach a happy medium with your boss, such as heading into the office once or twice a month if possible.

“Your request may well be rejected on reasonable grounds, but it’s definitely worth putting in a request,” says Stapleton. “It’s also worth remembering that if your current employer won’t let you work remotely, they are likely to be others that will, so don’t be afraid to look for alternative options.”

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.

Advertisement