The Executive Imperative: Reconsidering Return-to-Office Mandates, by Jonathan H. Westover PhD

Abstract: This article examines research on remote and hybrid work to identify more balanced approaches for organizations transitioning employees back to the workplace after the COVID-19 pandemic. A mandatory return-to-office policy may undermine long-term employee engagement, productivity and retention as remote work expectations have changed. Instead, the research suggests implementing thoughtful hybrid strategies with elements of choice, outcome-focused performance management, technology to enable collaboration, and empowered managers. The article outlines principles for crafting sustainable hybrid policies and practices organizations can use to operationalize new approaches, such as piloting models, training managers in remote leadership, redesigning office spaces, and maintaining feedback loops. By grounding return-to-work policies in empirical evidence and continuous improvement, companies can optimize performance in the new hybrid work landscape.