For businesses looking to develop policies that balance in-office and flexible working, there are no easy solutions, as both approaches have undeniable benefits. But much of the recent messaging from corporate leaders urging employees to return to the office feels outdated at best and dictatorial at worst. To be successful, businesses need to have a dialogue with their employees and communicate clearly and honestly which outcomes are most important to them.
A growing number of well-known companies across a wide range of industries, including Google, Farmers Insurance, Disney, UPS, Boeing, IBM, and Amazon, are asking employees to return to the office. While messaging about these RTO mandates varies in style and tone, much of it is outdated at best and often hostile or even dictatorial. Unsurprisingly, the result has been a backlash from employees and an explosion of enthusiasm on social media, see for example: A recent video message to Internet Brands employees.