Companies are grappling with whether employees should return to working from an office. If employers decide to go this route, what does that transition look like?
So far, many companies that have mandated a return to the office have seen some negative consequences. According to workplace strategy firm Unispace, 42% of businesses that have implemented a RTO policy have seen attrition while almost a third that enforced office returns have struggled with recruitment.
There is hope that focusing on analytics could help alleviate this pushback and make the transition smoother, according to employee engagement platform Prodoscore. For instance, an organizational network analysis, which looks at collaboration and engagement of employees within their departments and others when in the office, remote or hybrid, could be extremely helpful when going through this process.
"We're not advocating for any particular kind of mandate," says Sam Naficy, CEO of Prodoscore. "There's just a lot of data that could be used to facilitate whatever decision they make — whether that is a hybrid model or a full-time one — that's missing from these decisions."
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Allowing employees to work from a coworking space is another potential solution to the RTO conundrum.
Sixty-four percent of employees find working from a third-party space more socially fulfilling than working from the office, according to a recent study from the Harvard Business Review, and 67% preferred it over working from home. This means that what was once a temporary solution post-pandemic can now be considered a long-term solution.
"Many companies enforcing RTO policies aren't considering the fact that work structures have changed," says Ginger Dhaliwal, co-founder and COO of coworking network Upflex. "Work today doesn't happen in the same way it did in the past, and imposing outdated RTO mandates can create friction rather than enhance productivity."
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Regardless of whether a workforce is remote, in person or hybrid, it's still essential that management creates an engaging environment. Doing so can help with
Holding gatherings or providing opportunities for teamwork across groups is another.
"One of the most impactful initiatives that fostered deep connection within our team was the introduction of a cross-functional project collaboration week," says Christopher Pappas, founder of eLearning Industry. "During this dedicated period, employees from different departments were randomly grouped together to work on innovative projects unrelated to their daily roles. This initiative was not only an ongoing effort but became a highly anticipated event twice a year."
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