Rethinking the Return to Office

After the pandemic, many companies implemented return-to-office policies, but the outcome has been unexpected: 8 in 10 employers say they’ve lost staff because of RTO mandates. A recent survey backs this up, finding that while 44% of employees say they would comply with a five-day-a-week office mandate, 14% said they would quit, and 41% said they would look for another job. These numbers suggest that a strict RTO policy may do more harm than good.

It is not surprising then that many companies are choosing a more flexible approach. A 2024 Willis Towers Watson survey found that fewer than 1 in 20 employers expect workers to be in the office five days a week, and more than two-thirds now have official hybrid work policies in place.

Productivity isn’t the problem

Companies often cite productivity as the basis of their RTO policies. But the numbers tell a different story. According to recent surveys, remote workers are 35% to 40% more productive than their in-office peers. Factors such as reduced commuting time and flexibility in scheduling work hours contribute to the gains.

Furthermore, about 90% of mostly remote workers say they’re satisfied with their jobs, compared to 80% of those who work mostly in person. The difference is not huge, but it may indicate a factor leading to better retention.

Ultimately, companies can achieve better employee satisfaction and long-term results by focusing on performance and collaboration rather than on where people sit to work.

Building team culture

Company culture, shaped by shared behaviors, expectations and daily interactions, is key to performance and collaboration. Culture can be built and supported in person or online.

For example, some teams are building agreements that clarify how people will work together. These collaborative documents define roles, communication norms, accountability practices and when in-person meetings are most useful. A team might agree to meet in person to kick off a project but choose virtual meetings for routine check-ins. In-office time is built intentionally to add value to the work; it is not dictated by a calendar.

As the workplace continues to evolve, companies need flexibility and self-awareness. That might mean rethinking what “presence” looks like or reevaluating how performance is measured. For many, the right answer is a forward-looking model built on trust, clarity and choice.

© YC Partners 2025