Five years after Covid-19 emptied offices across the world almost overnight, prominent companies are now seeking to restore pre-pandemic working habits. An increasing number of executives are now vocal in making a case for return to the office (RTO) policies, sparkling the WFO vs RTO debate once again.
Just last month, Jamie Dimon, the veteran CEO of JPMorgan, who as early as 2021 wanted to draw staff back to their desks full-time said, “And everyone is going to be happy with it. And yes, the commute-you know, people don’t like commuting. But so what?”.
Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy wasn’t one to hold back on WFO vs RTO debate either, “When we look back over the last five years, we continue to believe that the advantages of being together in the office are significant.”
A large number of behemoths are now trying to hot-box their employees to return to the office. Executives vouch the best way to run a company is to bring people together, and the more time people spend time together in the same setting, the better in the long-term.
As we dissect the battleground of RTO policies, we speak to Jenni Field, an international speaker and author of “Nobody Believes You”. Field, with her no-nonsense approach, challenges the binary narrative that paints RTO policies in black and white. Drawing from over two decades of experience guiding companies through communication and leadership hurdles, she argues for a more nuanced understanding of work environments. Her insights delve into the heart of what makes an organization tick, beyond just the physical presence in an office.
Through her lens, we explore how HR leaders can measure the true impact of RTO policies, not just in numbers but in the health of company culture and employee well-being. Field’s voice, resonant with empathy and clarity, offers insights for leaders grappling with resistance, trust issues, and a balanced, credible approach to leadership in these unprecedented times.
“As a leader you’re inevitably going to make decisions that some people don’t like. What has to be remembered is that as long as those decisions can be communicated well, and they are linked to the foundations around your company values and linked to what you need to achieve, gradually things will settle.”
The HR Digest: In your LinkedIn article, you mention that RTO isn’t about right or wrong. Can you elaborate on what you mean by this, especially in the context of productivity and employee satisfaction?
Jenni Field: There is no right or wrong when it comes to working in an office or at home.
It seems that if you have decided that working in an office is better for you and the organization, it’s wrong. The message is that you should be shifting to a fully remote model because that shows you trust your people and you treat them like adults. After all, if we did it in the pandemic (which was a crisis), why can’t we do it all the time?
Firstly, what works in a crisis doesn’t always work for ‘the every day’ and the very nature of a crisis means we need to work differently. Secondly, this noise about trust and adults is nonsense. It’s a message that is completely false, harmful and damaging for individuals, leaders and organizations as a whole.
Working remotely requires a significant culture shift for an organization, and it needs investment in tools and communication to support the operational change. It also requires a different leadership style with an understanding of how to communicate with digital tools.
Productivity is often talked about as a reason to shift to a working from home or remote model, but no one is really defining productivity for this employee group. Plus, there is research that suggests the organization isn’t more productive because collaboration is harder when you’re not physically together
Employee satisfaction is incredibly individual. Decisions in organizations won’t please everyone so when it comes to employee satisfaction, we have to look at making decisions aligned to values and ensuring they are strategic.
The HR Digest: How can HR leaders measure the success or failure of RTO policies beyond just attendance numbers? What metrics or indicators should they look at to assess the long-term value of these policies?
Jenni Field: Attendance numbers isn’t the best measure because there is a bigger reason you’re doing this. This is like measuring likes or clicks on online articles, it doesn’t really tell you anything.
You have to determine why you’re doing this and then measure that. What is the driver behind bringing people back to the office? Is it because you have seen a decline in collaboration? Are you concerned people are juggling too much at home between caring responsibilities and work and this is leading to burnout and significant mental health implications? Or do you have a lease on a building and you need people in it? All these reasons are valid but it’s these reasons that should form the measure. If it’s about collaboration, measure how that shifts. If it’s linked to burnout, then measure how that changes as a result.
Like any change, there will be a natural resistance to it. For many, the decision to work remotely wasn’t a choice and there was no discussion, and no end time suggested because it was a crisis. It needs to be given the same time and approach as any other change program in an organization and communication is key to the success of that.
The HR Digest: Given the pushback against some RTO mandates, what advice would you give to HR leaders who are facing resistance from their workforce? How can they rebuild trust and engagement?
Jenni Field: The pushback is worse if the reasons why are missing, and if they are being shared and not being believed, that suggests we have an integrity problem at the leadership level.
Pushback is also inevitable, and we have to accept that some people will pushback and some people will leave. The reality is, if your decisions are in line with your values and how you handle the change is in line those as well, things are easier.
If the issue is around trust, then building integrity must be a focus for the leadership team. This means we need to do more to be genuine and accountable. Learn how to apologize, make sure you know why you’re doing it and do what you say you will do.
Remember that being clear is kind, being unclear is unkind (to quote Brene Brown).
The HR Digest: Can you discuss the balance between maintaining a company culture and allowing for flexible work arrangements? What are some best practices for companies to foster a strong culture while embracing hybrid work models?
Jenni Field: Flexibility is the biggest way to demonstrate empathy as a leader in 2025. Flexible work arrangement should always be discussed, and they should be discussed with an open mind and the goal to understand the other perspective. Be open to the conversation, listen and then take some time to reflect and decide. There are many different ways to work now for those who are traditionally office-based so don’t be closed off to ideas. Test and learn is totally ok as an approach, do it for a few months, review and adapt.
To foster a strong culture in hybrid models there has to be more investment in communication, both financial and time. There has to be the right tools in place to allow for more asynchronous work and there has to be intention around time spent with people in office, and online to build and maintain connection.
Work is not just about doing tasks and ticking off to-do lists; we are human beings, and we need social connections. I’m hearing that hybrid models where the days are the same for all employees to be in the office are more successful than those where it’s a bit more flexible.
The HR Digest: In terms of leadership credibility, how should leaders communicate RTO policies to ensure they are perceived as fair and beneficial rather than punitive or out of touch?
Jenni Field: We have to lead with empathy and compassion, and we also have to be clear about why we are doing this. If it’s about office leases, say that. But then be clear about what the benefits are to being back. This is all about bringing together the eight practices of credible leadership; empathy, capable, vulnerable, trustworthy, integrity, visionary, supportive, likeability, and blending them with change communication models like the 6 concerns of change where you work through things like impact concerns and implementation concerns.
As a leader you’re inevitably going to make decisions that some people don’t like. What has to be remembered is that as long as those decisions can be communicated well, and they are linked to the foundations around your company values and linked to what you need to achieve, gradually things will settle.