Mandating office days won't fix remote work

"You've heard executives argue for a return to the office. They use words like "culture," "teamwork" and "accountability," and might point to chance hallway conversations or in-person brainstorms as irreplaceable ingredients in the secret sauce of productivity. Yet, we know that being physically present doesn't automatically translate to connection or high performance. Culture isn't built through proximity. It's built by intention."

"The real driver behind many return-to-office mandates is control. For years, physical presence has acted as a lazy shorthand for productivity; the sight of employees at their desks has become a proxy for hard work. But did it ever guarantee results? Not really. Water cooler talk, endless meetings and visible busyness have long been confused for meaningful output."

"The shift to remote work forced leaders to face their discomfort. No longer able to "see" their teams, they had to ask harder questions: Are my team members delivering? Are my expectations clear? Am I truly leading, or simply supervising? For some, this was a chance to evolve. For others, it was a catalyst for trying to regain control - by bringing everyone back, regardless of what's actually best for productivity or morale."

Many leaders respond to remote-work challenges by mandating more in-office days, but additional office presence does not fix underlying problems. Office mandates often expose a leadership crisis rather than remote work failures. Physical presence is a poor proxy for productivity; visible busyness, water-cooler talk, and endless meetings can mask lack of meaningful output. Culture emerges through intentional practices, not proximity. Remote work forced leaders to clarify expectations and evaluate true leadership versus mere supervision. Some leaders used the shift to evolve; others sought control by requiring returns to the office. High-performing remote and hybrid teams prioritize clear expectations, accountability, autonomy, and self-regulation over surveillance.

Read at Employee Benefit News