The return-to-office debate sees no end in sight. Employees still want flexible work – and are dragging their feet RTO compliant, It was reported this week. Some employees have suspected that such policies have been a way for companies to say, “Don’t like it?
Turns out, maybe they are.
A recent Fortune article, citing a 2024 survey of more than 1,500 U.S. executives, found that a quarter of C-Suite executives Hope for voluntary turnover after the introduction of an RTO policy. One in five HR leaders went further and admitted that their stricter office requirements were designed to push staff out.
So when the article started making the rounds on Reddit last week, the general Lack of surprise It was significant and renewed discussion around employees’ suspicion that RTO goes further than “promoting cooperation”.
“This belongs on the ‘No Shit Sherlock’ Subreddit,” one user wrote. “This should have been quite clear to any person with the ability to think objectively,” another added. It was suggested: “The rest are just not allowed yet.”
Their skepticism is not misplaced. In fact, business leaders in the US told the Federal Reserve beige book they have on the side of the office Quietly and cheaply cutting the workforceall without having to play the villain.
More than Half of Fortune 100 Companies now have a full-time office requirement, and research shows Almost 3 in 10 companies will require five days a week in the office by the end of 2025. This is despite the fact that almost half of employees warn They would stop When remote work disappeared.
For some, the option is to work from home 8% of their salaryand not something they are willing to give up without a fight.
But those who threaten to quit may have less bargaining power than they believe. A mass exodus triggered by RTO may not seem in the best interest of companies, but in fact the opposite may be true. Forcing disgruntled employees to quit provides companies looking to reduce their workforce with an easy out, all without the severance pay and bad press tied to layoffs.
However, instead of cleverly killing two birds with one stone, RTO, as a workforce tactic, often simply mandates talent, along with morale among remaining employees.
At a time when employees are already disengaged at workThere’s something to be said for a business strategy that’s all sticking – and no root.
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