As the dust settles from the COVID pandemic, a clear tension is emerging in workplaces around the world. On one side, executives are eager to pull employees back to the office; on the other, staff are pushing to retain the flexibility they’ve come to appreciate.
Some tech companies, for instance, are at the center of this ongoing debate, having made the contentious decision to end remote work flexibility, forcing staff to be in the office five days a week starting next year.
The challenge now is bringing employees back without sacrificing the flexibility they’ve come to expect. The solution lies in clear communication about when office presence is essential; for example, when teams need to collaborate to solve problems. Strong leadership is needed to foster trust, maintain relationships, and ensure work isn’t reduced to mere task management.
While COVID might have accelerated the shift to remote and hybrid work, it didn’t start the conversation. Even before 2020, employees were questioning the traditional 9-to-5 office model. For example, in 2013, Yahoo’s then-CEO Marissa Mayer sparked controversy by mandating all home staff return to the office, arguing that in-person interaction was a catalyst for innovation. I am minded to agree. More on that later.
Now, with more companies rolling back their remote work policies, the question isn’t just if people should return to the office, but how to make it work in a way that fosters productivity while keeping the flexibility employees want. One critical factor in this equation is the design of the office itself.
Some major companies want to bring everyone back to the office to boost collaboration and company culture
To motivate employees to return to the physical workplace, businesses need to offer something better than what they have at home. This goes beyond fancy coffee machines or comfortable chairs – it’s about creating a space that engenders collaboration, creativity, and a sense of community.
Employees should feel that if they miss a day in the office, they’re missing out on something valuable, whether that’s spontaneous chats, impromptu brainstorming, or simply the chance to catch up with colleagues.
But a common mistake that I see many companies make is turning the office into one giant collaboration space. I manage a project called Clients Without Borders, where I help fast-growing businesses expanding into Europe create consistent workplace experiences, no matter how spread out their teams are.
What I have learned is that while meeting spaces are important, people also need quiet, private areas where they can focus. Designing an office that supports a range of working styles – from open spaces for collaboration to quiet zones for deep work – is essential.
Some major companies want to bring everyone back to the office to boost collaboration and company culture. Others have a more balanced approach which acknowledges that every employee is different. It is the one I advocate for.
An accountant, for example, may thrive in a private workspace but may also need access to brainstorming areas. Office design should cater to these differences, offering flexibility in how people work, not just where.
“This is where leadership plays a crucial role in fostering open communication, ensuring that relationships are maintained, and not allowing work to become just a series of tasks to manage.”
When companies shifted to remote work in 2020, they quickly learned that work isn’t tied to a location – it’s what we do. But to make this shift last, two things have become essential: trust and technology.
For remote and hybrid work to succeed, leaders must trust their employees to get the job done without constant oversight. If you hire talented, capable people, you need to give them the autonomy to manage their tasks and time. Without trust, remote work turns into a management nightmare.
But trust alone isn’t enough; businesses also need the right tools in place. Platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom keep people connected, but video calls have their limits. They don’t fully capture the nuances of in-person interactions, which can lead to a loss of empathy and emotional connection.
This is where leadership plays a crucial role in fostering open communication, ensuring that relationships are maintained, and not allowing work to become just a series of tasks to manage.
Despite the advantages of remote work, most leaders have realized that it can’t fully replace the office. While managing routine tasks can be done virtually, innovation and collaboration often thrive on the unplanned, in-person encounters that happen in an office environment.
The main challenge is finding the balance between the pliability of remote work and the synergetic benefits of the office.
As companies start to rethink their remote work policies, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. The best work model depends on your team, the nature of the work, and your business goals.
A hybrid approach can work, but clear expectations are crucial. Employees don’t need to be in the office all the time, but it’s important to communicate when their presence is essential – and why.
The most effective way to manage hybrid work is by setting clear objectives, rather than focusing on how often people are in the office. When employees understand the goals they need to achieve, they can decide how best to get there.
However, it’s still important for teams to come together in person regularly. Remember: in-person interactions build the trust and social capital that remote work alone can’t fully provide.
Global companies with these hybrid setups often struggle to manage teams spread across multiple countries. In my experience with Clients Without Borders, the companies that succeed in this environment do so by maintaining a strong company culture across all their locations.
This means more than just having an office in every country – it’s about ensuring that the firm’s values and ways of working are embedded in every workspace.
Cultural differences matter, and the way people work in one region may not translate to another. For instance: in Japan, long hours and group consensus are the norm, while Nordic countries prioritize work-life balance and autonomy. A hierarchical, team-focused approach that works in Japan may falter in Sweden, where employees expect flat structures and individual responsibility. These cultural nuances can greatly affect how global teams collaborate and succeed.
The most successful companies adapt their management style and office design to reflect these cultural nuances, ensuring their values are reflected in how they operate, no matter where they are.
It’s much easier to solve difficult problems with people you know and trust – and that trust is often built through in-person interactions.
There’s been a lot of debate, meanwhile, about whether remote and hybrid work models stifle innovation. The reality is that it depends on the company and the kind of work being done. For businesses that are designed to operate remotely, this model can work beautifully well. But for many companies, especially those dealing with complex, creative problems, face-to-face collaboration is vital.
It’s much easier to solve difficult problems with people you know and trust – and that trust is often built through in-person interactions. Just like you wouldn’t solve a family argument over a Zoom call, companies need physical spaces where employees can work through difficult challenges together.
But flexibility doesn’t mean a free-for-all. It’s about providing structure where it’s needed while giving employees autonomy in achieving their goals.
Moving forward, flexibility will be a key differentiator for companies seeking to attract and retain top talent in the coming years. It’s no surprise that Amazon is enacting its return-to-office mandate just as the global e-commerce giant cuts swathes of jobs, mostly in management ranks. For other companies seeking to hire, flexibility is an attractive perk for job candidates.
But flexibility doesn’t mean a free-for-all. It’s about providing structure where it’s needed while giving employees autonomy in achieving their goals.
The old management style – where bosses oversee every aspect of the work – is outdated. In the post-pandemic workplace, skilled employees need the freedom to do their jobs in the way that works best for them. If you don’t trust them to manage that, you may as well replace them with machines or AI.
Ultimately, the future of work isn’t about picking between the office and remote setups – it’s about finding a hybrid balance. Employees want flexibility, but they also need the office for collaboration and connection. Companies that get this balance right will keep top talent and create a thriving workplace culture.
Mickael Locoh will be speaking on the panel ‘Do you know where your knowledge workers are?’ at this year’s Global Peter Drucker Forum on 15 November in Vienna. This year’s theme is ‘The Next Knowledge Work. Managing For New Levels of Value Creation and Innovation.’
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