The business articles are constantly headlined with employer expectations for employees to return to the office – aiming to end both remote and hybrid work environments. This mandate seems archaic in many ways given that research has demonstrated that employees who work hybrid or remotely are happier, have better work-life balance, and productivity is equal to or greater than a full onsite team. However, is a return-to-office the right decision for you, your team and your business?
What is the current status of work arrangements?
So, let’s examine the statistics and trends found by Robert Half in its 2025 survey–approximately 60% of positions are on-site, 28% are hybrid and 11% are remote. Robert Half indicates:
“The benefits of hiring remote and hybrid workers are clear for employers. In addition to accessing a wider talent pool and potentially attracting more skilled applicants for jobs, offering flexible work can help boost retention. In the latest Canadian Salary Guide From Robert Half, over half (52 per cent) of Canadian workers cite work-life balance (e.g., hybrid work) as the top benefit and perk they’d switch employers for, provided that their base salary stayed the same.”
Interestingly, the Western Compensation & Benefits Consultants (WCBC) report in June 2025 indicates that reasons employers want to end remote or hybrid work are dependent on organization size. Larger employers (over 500 employees) are concerned about supervision, productivity and workplace culture. Mid-size employers (100 – 500 employees) believe employees must be on site to get the work done and that in-person work boosts teamwork and culture.
How Can We Reset with these Challenges?
In this tug-of-war over how & where employees work, leaders in today’s organizations are facing several key challenges. Tariffs, increasing costs, and rapid global change are leading the way.
On the other hand, they are also facing employee requirements for more work flexibility and overall wellness with the organization’s needs for a strong culture, performance, competitiveness and engagement.
Balancing employee needs and organizational realities
Leading a team, and meeting KPIs (key performance indicators) offer today’s leaders some key challenges – in particular communication, team culture & cohesion and fostering engagement.
In the Forbes C-Suite CEO Newsletter released on January 12, 2026 HqO cofounder and CEO Chase Garbarino shared the following insight on how to view this return to office mandate.
“The term ‘return to office’ literally highlights the commute, and the commute is usually peoples’ biggest issue. They need a rebrand there.
As with any leadership concept, the most important piece of leadership is the why. So whether you’re a salesperson or an engineer, why is in-person going to benefit the person, the department, the company? This is a combination office design, where you can validate the why with the outcome of what they’re trying to achieve. The office is kind of a check box. You had to have one. Now, they need to really be thinking about how it influences outcomes, and that’s a very new practice.”
This approach involves people-centered, purpose-driven leadership that I discussed in my last post. Gararino suggests such a mandate should be in alignment with the purpose of the organization and the outcome that is to be achieved. If the “why” isn’t clear and motivating, employee engagement and support for any on-site work will continue ebb. In addition Gararino indicated that the return on investment (ROI) of the real estate costs associated with the return to office be considered as any other business metric – what are you getting for your cost. Why is it important and how is it making a positive impact?
Communication for Connection
Communication between you, as the leader, and each team member is critical in building a solid, trusting relationship. This can be achieved when integrated authentically and with empathy and curiosity.
I have led many teams where we were all on-site, yet in different parts of the worksite. Building connection and effective relationships with each team member have been challenging. I have also worked with teams working shift work – where your entire team isn’t onsite (or working) at the same time.
These scenarios are similar to today’s mixed location teams (on-site, remote and hybrid). I contend that learning to lead teams in multiple locations, is possible and an imperative skill.
Three tactics that are used successfully include impromptu daily check-ins, daily huddles, and “rounds” or walkabouts – getting out of your office and onto the floor where team members are working to interact with them. These options offer you, the leader, to connect with individual team members and ask key questions to gain better understanding of challenges they face, what they believe is working well and to learn more about what’s important to them. These approaches take time to develop but when in place, however they will truly help you be a people-centered leader and making decisions where people and business thrive.
Culture
As the leader, your demeanor and actions will have a direct impact on the culture that exists. Nurturing a people-centered, purpose driven culture will help you lead a team that understands why they are doing certain tasks or projects and how the outcomes will have a positive impact.
The organizational culture creates a key foundational component on the level of work and the outcomes that can be delivered. How can you curate a culture that will inspire teams to want to be co-located at the worksite because of the opportunities it offers in learning, skill development and making an impact that aligns with their professional goals.
Wellbeing
In my last post, I mentioned that human-centered leadership sets wellbeing as a top priority for the organization. In doing so, you are able to curate an excellent work environment–one that values a safe and healthy environment.
The ripple effect of this priority will help build a sense of confidence by individual team members (and the team as whole). They will also understand their purpose and recognize how they contribute to overall achievements. A work environment that embraces overall wellbeing will boost mental health and workplace happiness while it minimizes tension and work conflicts.
If you want to shift from a hybrid or remote workplace, it is important to consider the ROI on having a brick & mortar office that fits all team members, why this change is important for employees and the business, and how it will create a positive impact for everyone. Most importantly, regardless of what your competitors are doing, is it the right decision for you and your team?
