The Great Return is Here. But Are You Actually Solving the Right Problem?
September 18th, 2025
It’s back. The battle over office desks, cubicle space, and Zoom fatigue is heating up again. Executives are calling people back in. Employees are pushing back. And the war between remote and in-office expectations is threatening to derail productivity, culture, and hiring momentum in companies across the board.
The problem? Most organizations are treating this shift like it’s 2019 with a fresh coat of paint. They’re setting mandates without meaning, offering hybrid schedules without structure, and pretending that “just coming back to the office” will fix morale, communication, or output. Spoiler alert: it won’t.
The tug-of-war between remote flexibility and in-person structure isn’t going away. But companies that take a clear, strategic approach to this new reality will rise. Those that don’t will lose talent, fracture culture, and fall behind. The great return isn’t about where people work. It’s about how well you design the work environment for results.
Productivity Isn’t Tied to a Zip Code
The biggest myth floating around boardrooms today is that being in the office equals being productive. It doesn’t. Not anymore.
Since 2020, data has consistently shown that remote and hybrid employees are just as productive, if not more so, than their in-office peers. What matters more than physical presence is clarity, technology, accountability, and how work is structured.
Still, many companies are making blanket return-to-office demands. The assumption is that proximity will improve communication and collaboration. In some cases, that’s true. In many, it just reintroduces commutes, distractions, and resentment. If your employees feel like they’re being pulled back into a space that serves no practical purpose, expect them to check out or check LinkedIn for something better.
If productivity is your goal, focus on workflows, not floorplans. Audit your systems. Examine your processes. Ask what tools and routines your team needs to thrive. If people are delivering excellent work remotely, dragging them into an office three days a week without a clear benefit will only fracture trust.
Flexibility is the New Currency, Use It Wisely
The companies winning right now aren’t the ones with the strictest rules. They’re the ones with the clearest options. Flexibility has moved from perk to expectation. But that doesn’t mean anything goes.
Smart businesses are crafting policies that give employees structure and autonomy, not confusion or chaos. Hybrid isn’t a magic solution unless it’s intentional. Saying “two days in the office, three remote” means nothing unless each day has a defined purpose. Are in-office days meant for collaboration? Are remote days focused on deep work? Or is it all just based on convenience?
The more vague your model, the more pressure it puts on your teams. And when expectations aren’t clear, productivity suffers. Top talent doesn’t want flexibility that leads to burnout. They want predictability. They want to know what the rules are and how those rules support performance.
If you’re going to lean into a flexible model, own it. Set boundaries. Define outcomes. Design the schedule around business needs and employee engagement, not gut feelings or headlines.
Office Space Isn’t the Asset You Think It Is
Let’s talk about the real elephant in the room, real estate. A lot of companies pushing for full returns aren’t doing it because it’s what’s best for productivity or culture. They’re doing it because they’re locked into leases they can’t justify unless desks are full. That’s not strategy. That’s sunk cost desperation.
But hanging onto office space “just because” is costing more than rent. It’s costing trust, morale, and top talent who see the push as tone-deaf or outdated. If your office has become more of a symbol than a solution, it’s time to rethink what it’s really doing for your business.
Some companies are adapting by reimagining their spaces. They’re turning offices into hubs for intentional collaboration, strategy planning, or onboarding, not forced 9-to-5s. They’re shedding square footage, investing in travel budgets, and reallocating funds toward better technology and more relevant employee experiences.
In this economy, efficiency wins. If your office isn’t driving business outcomes or employee satisfaction, it’s not an asset. It’s a liability.
Recruitment and Retention Are on the Line
Want to know where your next recruiting problem is coming from? Look no further than your return-to-office policy. Because make no mistake, today’s candidates are vetting your flexibility as much as your salary range.
Post-pandemic, job seekers are prioritizing autonomy, wellness, and lifestyle alignment more than ever. If you’re offering rigid attendance rules while your competitors are offering flexibility paired with performance standards, you’re losing the war for top-tier talent before it even begins.
The same goes for your current team. Employees who proved they could thrive remotely now see forced returns as a step backward. If they don’t feel trusted, respected, or heard, they’ll walk. And they won’t leave quietly. They’ll take knowledge, clients, and internal credibility with them.
Retention doesn’t hinge on keeping people happy with free snacks or team outings. It hinges on meeting their real-world needs. That means designing work in a way that respects their time, maximizes their output, and supports their lifestyle, not just your optics.
The Push and Pull is Real, So Get Real About It
Here’s the truth: there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Your industry, your team, your goals, they all play a role in how your work model should look. But what does apply across the board is the need for intentionality.
If you’re mandating returns, you better explain the business case. If you’re going hybrid, it better be built on purpose, not politics. If you’re staying remote, you better back it up with systems that drive cohesion and performance.
The companies that navigate this well aren’t the ones trying to recreate the past. They’re the ones bold enough to redesign the future. They’re not afraid to question tradition, scrap old routines, and build environments that support the way people actually work now.
You don’t need to choose sides in the remote vs. office debate. You need to choose strategy over nostalgia. Because the great return is not about location. It’s about creating work environments that deliver results, attract talent, and respect reality.
And if you’re not designing your model with precision, data, and intention, you’re falling behind the businesses that are. Contact Coach Jason for a consultation to discuss this topic and get your business better aligned with a focused and efficient workforce.