Return with Purpose: Supporting a Thoughtful Return to Office 

Across industries—public and private alike—organizations are increasingly implementing return-to-office (RTO) policies that require employees, many of whom shifted to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic, to return to the office full-time, five days a week. This shift has sparked a wide range of reactions. For employees, remote work has come to represent flexibility, autonomy, and often, improved work-life balance. For organizations, the push to return is often grounded in priorities like collaboration, culture, and leadership expectations. 

Both perspectives are valid—and understanding them may be the key to making return-to-office efforts more successful. 

A meta-analysis by Tsipursky (2021) found that “most employees see telework and the flexibility it provides as a key benefit and are willing to sacrifice substantial earnings for it,” and that “employees are significantly more productive on average when working from home.” Clearly, many employees view remote work not just as a convenience, but as a meaningful enhancement to how they live and work. 

At the same time, research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) highlights the reasoning behind organizational RTO mandates. Companies cite a need for in-person collaboration and teamwork (75%), workplace culture and engagement considerations (69%), leadership preferences (65%), a desire to restore a sense of normalcy and routine (54%), and employee productivity concerns (41%). 

This tension—between employees’ desire for flexibility and organizations’ goals for in-person connection—isn’t necessarily a conflict to be resolved, but a dynamic to be understood. By acknowledging the motivations on both sides, organizations have a better chance of designing return-to-office strategies that don’t just dictate change, but invite dialogue and foster shared ownership of the transition. 

Outlined below are seven best practices designed to help organizations and employees co-create a return-to-office experience that balances operational goals with individual needs—fostering a smoother, more sustainable transition for everyone involved: 

1. Communicate effectively on the reasoning behind the return to office and why it is vital to the company’s mission and values. 

1. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce (2022) recommends to “take the time to explain what might change about their work schedules and expectations (if anything will change) and be willing to have conversations with employees who have questions.” One way to demonstrate the vitality of in-office work is by using internal data to show how the in-office requirement links directly to business objectives. Clearly emphasize how in-person work will enhance the company’s desired outcomes and recognize employees’ positive contributions to those goals (SHRM, 2025). McKinsey & Company (2025) suggests that “leaders and managers should regularly clarify priorities and connect the dots on how work fits together.” This practice includes leadership being available to their employees to ask questions, vent frustrations, and brainstorm solutions (Smet et al., 2025).

2. Identify the root cause of employee’s hesitations and anxieties. 

1. Employees’ apprehension on returning to the office can be caused by a wide source of anxieties including social anxiety, professional anxiety, and/or worrying about disruptions to their current work/non-work routines. Having frequent communication with employees to understand their particular stressors will help in identifying targeted solutions to make the transition easier (Casarella, 2022).

3. Update your workplace atmosphere. 

1. It is beneficial for senior leadership to make the effort to create an environment that makes employees want to return to the office (Brodersen, 2024). A positive workplace atmosphere bonds employees together, increases workplace motivation and engagement, and protects against employee burnout (Tsipursky, 2021). Offering structured opportunities for employees to connect with each other in person incentivizes them to return to the office. If possible, consider providing breakfast or lunch one day a week to allow employees to gather over a shared experience. Additionally, you can encourage employees to conduct “informational interviews” with colleagues they may not have had the chance to connect with before. These interviews can be brief 30-minute meetings that allow employees to learn more about their co-workers and reacclimate to engaging in person. Incentivizing return to the office also includes eliminating barriers that may be contributing to stress around in-person work. Highlighting local childcare and/or elderly care, providing onsite space for uninterrupted meetings and/or wellness breaks, prioritizing office cleanliness, and encouraging carpooling are just a few ways organizations can help ease the transition back to the office and reduce associated stress (SHRM, 2025).

4. Provide training on effective workplace communication, conflict resolution, and collaboration. 

1. Communication norms vary drastically across hybrid, in-person, and virtual environments. Returning to the office may cause increased levels of social anxiety among employees as they are relearning how to engage with each other face to face. Companies can support their employees through this transition by providing training in workplace communication, conflict resolution, and collaboration to learn how to effectively adapt to in-person office environments. When inevitable conflicts do arise, it is important to ensure employees have the adequate knowledge and skills to navigate them respectfully (Tsipursky, 2021).

5. Provide guidelines for maintaining a work/non-work balance. 

1. This practice involves senior leadership leading through behavior and setting clear boundaries and expectations surrounding work versus non-work hours. Employees may need support and guidance on how to establish a wellness routine outside of work. Highlighting wellbeing and mental health resources reinforces for staff the commitment to their overall health (Tsipursky, 2021; Pandita et al., 2024). When leaders consistently model healthy habits and communicate the importance of balance, it fosters a culture where prioritizing personal wellbeing is not only accepted but encouraged.

6. Invest in the professional development of your staff. 

1. A key component of ensuring a smooth transition back to the office is aligning teams around a shared vision and fostering a future-oriented mindset. One effective way to achieve this is by investing in the professional development of your staff. Providing opportunities for growth—whether through internal training programs that build knowledge, skills, and abilities, or by offering financial support for external learning events—demonstrates a clear commitment to employee advancement. When employees feel their organization is invested in their long-term development, they are more likely to feel engaged, motivated, and supported during times of change (Tsipursky, 2021).

7. Ask for feedback regularly. 

1. While leadership plays a critical role in shaping a healthy work culture, it’s equally important to engage employees directly in shaping the return-to-office experience. As mentioned earlier, employees may be experiencing a wide range of emotions regarding returning to fully in-person work. Whenever possible, it is important to include them as part of the conversation—whether through staff meetings, surveys, or other means of collecting employee feedback (Casarella, 2022). Creating space for employee voices not only builds trust, but also leads to more thoughtful and effective return-to-office strategies.

Ultimately, Forbes (2024) recommends to “listen to what [your employees] want and need. Then collaborate with them to find the best solution. Only then will you cultivate a culture of trust and respect that benefits everyone.” So, while your understanding, as a leader, of why returning to the office is important, it is equally essential to consider and incorporate the interests and needs of your employees throughout the process. 

References

Brodersen, A. (2024). Return to office policies: Considerations, concerns, and recommendations. The Journal of Business Leadership, (Spring 2024). https://doi.org/10.69847/rzm43ap8

Casarella, D. (2022, February 7). Return-to-office anxiety: How to support employees returning to work. US Chamber of Commerce. https://www.uschamber.com/co/run/human-resources/how-to-ease-return-to-office-anxiety

Castrillon, C. (2024, October 7). The real impact of return-to-office mandates on productivity at work. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecastrillon/2024/10/06/impact-of-return-to-office-mandates-on-productivity/

Pandita, D., Gupta, D., & Vapiwala, F. (2024). Rewinding back into The old normal: Why is return-to-office stressing employees out? Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10672-023-09491-0

SHRM. (2025, March 7). How to implement an effective return-to-office strategy. https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/employee-relations/how-to-implement-return-to-office-strategy

Smet, A. D., Weddle, B., & Hancock, B. (2025, February 14). Returning to the office? focus more on practices and less on the policy. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/returning-to-the-office-focus-more-on-practices-and-less-on-the-policy

Tsipursky, G. (n.d.). Returning to the Office: Benchmarking to Best Practices For Competitive Advantage. Disaster Avoidance Experts. https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/White-Paper-Returning-to-the-Office-Benchmarking-to-Best-Practices-for-Competitive-Advantage.pdf

Julie Jasewicz  joined FMP in May 2023 as a Human Capital Intern and works on a variety of projects ranging from training and development to strategic communications. She graduated from George Mason University’s IO psychology master’s program and is originally from the Adirondack mountain region in New York. Julie is passionate about cooking, travel and is a loving cat mom to her kitten Winter.