17 August 2023
The Patchwork Principle may make both managers and employees happy in the RTO debate
Lately, I’ve been hearing this question from CEOs a lot: “How do we get everyone back in the office without losing a ton of good people?”
The return-to-office (RTO) debate has long been in a stalemate, but the power dynamics keep shifting. During the pandemic, few people wanted to change roles amid all the uncertainty. Then came the Great Resignation, where a booming job market and worker shortages gave employees the power to vote with their feet, leaving companies that required in-office time. But now, with layoffs on the rise and AI threatening to make some jobs obsolete, employers who want people physically present—50% of companies—may gain the upper hand. Google, for example, recently announced that performance reviews would take into account unexplained absences from its three-day-per-week in-office requirement, with badge records being used to identify those who’re consistently falling short.
And yet, 60% of exclusively remote employees say they’re extremely likely to seek employment elsewhere if they can’t continue working remotely at least some of the time. Others say they won’t return to the office, even if it means missing career opportunities or getting laid off.
For many, it comes down to issues of autonomy: the freedom to work, parent their children, or exercise where and when they want. On top of this, there’s the issue of saving money by forgoing costly commutes, lunches out, and expensive work clothes. Work-from-home advocates also point to better mental health by exiting the rat race and spending more free time on enjoyable activities with family and friends.
