Commentary: Easing the transition of returning to the office

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Amazon’s announcement requiring employees to return to the office for a full work week starting in January 2025 may be just the most recent accelerant in a movement by employers — including Google, AT&T, Disney, Goldman Sachs, GM and Bank of America — to rein in their hybrid and remote work policies.

According to a recent Resume Builder survey, one in four companies plans to increase the required days in-office in 2025, and according to a newly-released KPMG outlook survey of 400 CEOs, 79% in the U.S. foresee the working environment for corporate employees shifting back to their pre-pandemic, traditional in-office roles in the next three years — a marked change from earlier this year (34%).

Some of the leading drivers for this seemingly about-face stem from hardcore economic issues:

• Real estate and the fact that many companies are locked into paying for commercial leases—with an abundance of open offices draining money from the bottom line.
• A belief by C-suite executives that working from home—particularly full time—negatively impacts productivity, collaboration and quality mentoring, and that many workers are not as industrious at home as they would be if they were physically in the office.
• A tightening labor market where employers perceive they now have the upper hand to pull-back from a full remote workplace policy.

Even after four-plus years post-pandemic, employers continue to walk a fine line in response to any change they make with workplace policy. The challenge now in a return-to-office (RTO) policy is to offset employee perception, which often runs counter to employers’ reasoning — that they are losing a benefit. As a result, employers need to work extra hard to mitigate concerns by addressing those employees — who have been accustomed to working from home — in key areas like personal flexibility, families and scheduling, and mental health issues.

Easing the transition

While RTO policies will remain a hot topic for employees, a transition doesn’t have to be awkward, even with a workforce averse to return. There are several ways to ease the transition:

• Implement a clear-cut return-to-office policy that specifically states who is affected and who are exceptions: Delineate the number of required days in office and the handling of any workplace accommodations such as emergencies, staying home with a sick child, doctor appointments, etc. Also, re-communicate company expectations such as hours of operation and dress code.
• Carry out a communication strategy that tailors messages to specific employee groups as necessary and provides strong, logical reasoning as to why the company is moving in this direction: Ascertain who is announcing it first to employees and how it is being announced (CEO letter, company memo, immediate supervisor, video conference, in-person meeting?). Don’t blindside employees; blanket additional company communication channels and public messaging only after affected employees have been alerted.
• Provide a feasible timeline: Give employees enough time to adjust; allow ample lead time for employees to make arrangements for child/parent/pet care, navigate the commute, and reshuffle schedules. And, when employees are back in the office full time, expect and accept some initial glitches until the new routine is the norm.
• Emphasize the positives to build a strong workplace culture: Reiterate the thought process behind bringing workers back and explain myriad benefits to employees such as mentorship, training, collaboration and creativity; listen to employee concerns and work together to come up with solutions; encourage employee participation in making the office not only a location of work but also a place that employees look forward to coming to.
• Incentivize employees/build enthusiasm for the return: Offer ‘perks’ that can only be realized when employees are physically in the office; be creative with rewards — and perhaps acknowledge remote work. For example, if employees “bank” a certain number of days in the office, they can use one day to work from home.
• Prepare for employee pushback: Some employees would rather quit than return, so react with a respectful exit response, typical to company practice, for those who leave or decide to retire. Also, have a response at the ready for employees and labor groups who stay on the job but rally opposition to the RTO policy or petition for change.

For employees who entered the workforce during the pandemic, remote/hybrid work is all they know — and they will be experiencing their job in person for the first time. Even those who have prior in-office experience may need to mentally get used to a five-day return. While it’s within the employer’s right to call people back into the office, it’s important to recognize that there may be pushback and a learning curve — and to act thoughtfully as a result.

Deborah Brouwer is the managing partner of management-side labor and employment law firm Nemeth Bonnette Brouwer. In addition to defending employers, she has conducted harassment and discrimination training and investigations, and appeared before administrative agencies, the Michigan Court of Appeals, and the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.