"It turns out the return-to-office movement isn't just about productivity, collaboration or company culture. For a significant number of companies, it is about leases - those binding, long-term commitments to office spaces that are now sitting underused while hybrid work proves its staying power. A recent Resume.org survey of 900 business leaders peels back the polished justifications for workplace mandates and reveals the financial tether that's quietly shaping policy: the office lease."
"The corporate narrative surrounding return-to-office has largely centered on soft justifications - enhanced communication, team cohesion, managerial convenience. Yet 40 percent of business leaders in the Resume.org survey admitted that making better use of paid-for office space is a core reason they're mandating in-person attendance. That number climbs when lease agreements are considered directly. Among companies that lease office space, more than half acknowledged that those agreements are affecting their policy decisions, with 16 percent citing them as a major influence."
Companies are mandating return-to-office largely to make use of paid-for office space tied up in long-term leases. Forty percent of business leaders reported that better use of paid office space is a core reason for in-person mandates. Among companies that lease space, over half say lease agreements affect policy, with 16 percent calling them a major influence. Two-thirds of companies still lease offices, and nearly half of those leases extend to 2028 or later. By year-end, almost 75 percent will require at least three in-office days weekly, and nearly one in three will mandate five-day attendance.
Read at The Hill
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